Angel in the Snow, Demon in the Shadows (1)
by Deliverer
Summary: Beaten. Broken. She is weeping, she will not fight. Strike now... And he did... He raised his sword. As he approached he could have sworn he saw the wings of an angel. / "Queen Elsa!" she heard him call. She stopped. Maybe she'd stopped even before. She no longer knew. She turned to face him. Her sister believed he was good. Decent… So why did she see a demon in his shadow?
1. Flight

Angel in the Snow, Demon in the Shadows

(A/N: Something I had spinning around in my head for a while. I suppose it's kind of a Hans/Elsa thing but a darker take on it that hints that maybe there could have been more. I just had to get it out, so let me know what you think. I have a lot of ideas written up but I'm not sure, yet, whether to expand on this. If you want me to continue and make this more than a oneshot, let me know.)

She ran through the storm she had created in tears, fleeing from the palace, fleeing from those who wished her harm, fleeing from everything. This land was better off without her! Hans would take care of Anna. Together they would rule Arendelle and all would be well again. She knew the thought was naïve. It would never be well again. Not now. Not anymore. At least, though, Anna would have her prince.

At least she herself would be free. Isolation was nothing new to her. In isolation there was comfort, reassurance, safety... crushing loneliness and eternal regret…

Frozen

Hans gazed darkly out at the snow as it whipped around. She had escaped. Damn her! This ended now. _She_ ended now. He gave chase, though the men with him called for him to stay out of the blizzard. He was beyond caring. The cold never bothered him anyway. He smirked to himself on realizing how true that suddenly was. Much like Elsa. He inwardly scoffed at the idea they could have anything in common. They didn't, really, now that he thought about it. The cold never bothered her. It was truer, in his case, to say he had never really felt or noticed the cold... He hadn't felt or noticed anything for a long time...

 _But now he noticed her..._

Through the wisps of snow he saw her running. Her feet hardly touched the ground as she fled at a speed almost unearthly. Well, perhaps that was an exaggeration, after all he was keeping up, but optical illusions were amazing things, really. Brother number four had introduced him to optical illusions. He'd always marveled at them. He'd never asked why they looked the way they did. He preferred not knowing the answer. It kept the mystery intact and left the answer up to your wildest imaginings. That was what was happening now. He could almost fool himself into thinking she ran with the wings of a goddess at her back. All around her the snow crystals blew, and then she would disappear from sight only to reappear somewhere completely new.

She looked so lost. So frightened. So vulnerable. That was the time it was best to strike at the prey; when they were weak and confused and on the verge of just giving up. That was the state she was in now. She ran and the storm swirled around her and around him violently. She was there, a wisp, and then she was gone like a phantom. She was there, a wraith, she was gone, a figment of the imagination. Perhaps she was an optical illusion. Perhaps he was chasing air. Perhaps there had never been a Snow Queen of Arendelle and all of this had been in his imagination. Maybe that was why he couldn't feel anything. Of course he knew that thought was ridiculous, but it made one wonder.

God, her beauty was otherworldly... There was no one who could deny she was just so beautiful... But then those sorts always hid darkness and coldness beneath. He knew because he was one of that sort. His brothers were that sort. After all, what was beauty? A mask for the hideousness underneath...

 _But she was beautiful underneath too..._

No, no she wasn't. Perhaps in a sense she was, but he had seen her coldness. He had seen how willing she was, when cornered and trapped, to kill. But then most of humanity was that way, he believed. Push them far enough you could get them to do the most horrific things. Things they never dreamed they would. He had been pushed that way. He had once cared. Now he didn't. He had no regrets. He did not regret this! He would see this plan through to its finality.

"Queen Elsa!" he called out to her form. He watched her. Waited for her response which would come soon. She turned to him looking so desperate, so miserable, so... so defeated... She would look more defeated still soon enough. They spoke. He hardly heard her. He hardly heard _himself_ ; like he was just some spectator looking down on this entire play from somewhere else. He thought he picked out 'just take care of my sister' in her words.

 _Love of siblings and sibling bonds were a lie..._

'Just take care of my sister.' That was his cue. He told her that her sister was dead. Now there was more than the appearance of defeat. She was beaten. She was broken. He had won and she was his... Her warm blood would dye the ice red and melt the snow beneath it. Or maybe that was more his blood. His blood would melt the snow. Hers would kiss it gently and drive it to mourn its lost queen.

 _Beaten. Broken. Strike now. She is weeping. She will not fight. Strike now..._

And he did... He raised his sword... As he approached he could have sworn he saw the wings of an angel at her back.

Frozen

She saw him, racing through the snow. Sometimes he was beside her, and she would meet what she believed may have been his eyes but couldn't tell. A swirl of snow would come and he would disappear and be farther away than before, and sometimes closer. They ran almost parallel to each other now, side by side, distance between them. They knew where the other was. They both knew. This was the man who would have her sister. He would be a blessed husband. She told herself that, but within she felt uneasy because she knew, she sensed, that there was something very... off. Sometimes, through the snow, she could swear she saw the horns of a devil and the tail. Illusions, she knew, always illusions, but still...

Again gone, out of her sight. Again the snow felt empty and endless and the blizzard an eternal prison but safe. There, back again, and the blizzard seemed not so empty and endless anymore, but all that more dangerous and deadly. She wanted the endless prison that was safe more than she wanted the small prison of foreboding. "Queen Elsa!" she heard him call. She had stopped on hearing it. Maybe she had stopped even before. She no longer knew. She could hardly tell what she was doing anymore. She turned to face the good and decent prince behind her. Good and decent...

 _So why did she see a demon in his shadow...?_

She spoke, and they knew there was no going back now.


	2. To Arendelle

To Arendelle

(A/N: I think I might try to continue this and see how it goes over. Hopefully for the most part there will be updates everyday, but this will probably be the last, or second to last, update for a little over two weeks as my computer is being sent off to be fixed, so apologies in advance. Thank you for the reviews to this story. Hopefully it will prove itself a good read in time. This is probably the one time in the whole story lyrics will be put in. I hate lyrics added into stories, but given the song kind of has a huge bearing on the overall plot, and ties so tightly with both Hans and Elsa, this is the exception. It'll be referenced a good number of times.)

There was darkness. Mist. Silence. He was wandering an endless plane. Lost. What was this place? Soon he stopped, trying to hear something. Anything. Anything that would let him know he wasn't alone.

 _But he was always alone..._

"Did you ever think even once that there could be something more precious than a throne to be found in Arendelle?" a voice questioned the young prince. He blinked and turned. There was a mirror. Reflected in it was himself. His _reflection_ had spoken to him? Surely it must have. There was no other explanation. And for some reason it didn't seem so unlikely in this place.

"The throne was symbolic," Hans answered bluntly. "It wasn't the power I wanted. Not completely. It was the recognition. It was the ability to say to them, 'look, I _made_ something of myself'."

"You could have made something of yourself," his reflection answered, placing his hand on the mirror. Hans reached out, mimicking the gesture and laying it there. He said nothing in response. "You could have found contentment, a place of your own, love… You could have had all you desired for so long…"

"Not everything," he murmured. It wouldn't have made his brothers love him… Of course it hadn't anyway… Had he really thought it would, or had he just wanted someone else to suffer as badly as him?

"Enough," the reflection stated. "You would have found enough."

"It will never be enough…" Hans hollowly answered.

"It might have been," his reflection said. Hans closed his eyes tightly, leaning his forehead against the mirror and feeling tears slipping from his eyes.

"It might have been…" he agreed. "But we'll never know now, will we?"

"And whose fault is that?" his reflection asked.

"You sound like our brothers," Hans dryly remarked.

"But it's true," the reflection stated.

Hans was quiet. "I know…" he answered. "Believe me I know…"

"You don't remember when you were me, do you?" the reflection asked.

"If I didn't remember, I wouldn't have been able to act the part so well," Hans said.

"The part you acted was a mask," his reflection said. "An overdone one, might I add."

"Who asked you?" Hans bit, frowning at the reflection.

"Chameleon Prince, you're a mix of all of your masks. The bad and the good, the miserable and the joyful, the pain and the relief… You just haven't put the proper puzzle pieces together yet," the reflection said. "Look at me. Remember me. Remember who you are," the reflection said.

Hans looked. He looked but he couldn't look for more than a few seconds. He never could. Dryly he laughed to himself. Really what else had he expected? "Go away," he said.

"How can I? I'm you," the reflection said.

Hans suddenly drew his sword and spun, slashing it and shattering the mirror into a million pieces which rained as far as you could see. Two shards fell into his eyes. Another pierced his heart. "That 'me' died long ago," Hans said to the remains of the mirror. But in the million shards he could still see himself reflected, shaking his head disappointedly. Condemningly. Hans let out a shaky breath and fell to his knees, holding his body closely to himself and letting silent tears fall.

 _Born of cold and winter air and mountain rain combining,_

 _This icy force both foul and fair has a frozen heart worth mining._

He heard his brothers singing the legend in the back of his head. "You have always likened the prophecy to Elsa… Perhaps now it is _your_ turn to be the frozen heart worth mining," the reflection of himself whispered from all directions. Hans covered his ears and bowed low to the ground, trying to tune it all out.

Frozen

The prince's eyes flickered open to the sound of seagulls. He closed them tight again with a soft groan then sat up, rubbing an eye with the heel of his palm. He blinked towards the porthole and gazed out of it in silence. A dream. It had just been a dream... Just a dream... On the deck above he could hear the voices of his brothers and of the crew...

 _Years Ago_

There were thirteen princes born to the Southern Isles. Thirteen because life in this climate and world was hard and dangerous. To have only one child to your name was as good as a death sentence to your family name. The King and Queen had had thirteen, a difference of fifteen years between the eldest and youngest. It was nothing short of a miracle they all had survived into adulthood, even despite being royalty, and everyone knew it; but they had had their ways… They had protected each other, from the eldest down to the youngest… At least _once_ they had… At first… That had ended long ago, it seemed. He could not remember love in his life.

In order from eldest to youngest there was as follows:

Caleb was eldest and had taken the name of Moren on their father's recent death for reasons Hans had yet to figure out for _all_ those who had taken name changes. Jürgen was next. Lars was third. He, on father's death, had taken the name of Mael. the twins were Rudi and Runo, who on father's death had taken the names Rhun and Duach. Though he called them twins, they had been born a month or two apart from one another. Rudi had been premature and would not have lived if not for certain 'connections', so they were told, though those connections were never revealed. Then there came Justic, then Franz who was also called Neb. After him were the triplets Calcas, Connyn, and Coth. Then came Kelin-Sel, Iscawin, and finally Hans.

In the first, second, and third years came Caleb, Jürgen, and Lars. Five years passed with nothing and then plague struck. The king and queen had nearly lost them all. Rudi and Runo had come next that eighth year, only two months thereabouts between them. They had been insurance there would be an heir. Another two years passed before Justic was born, an accident, and Franz one year later, the eleventh year. They had sworn no more after that.

In the thirteenth year there was a kidnapping and ransom attempt on the eldest and fifth sons, as well as an assassination attempt on the rest along with the king and queen. Enter the triplets, Calcas, Connyn, and Coth. They had been born as extra insurance. Well, Calcas had been. It wasn't as if triplets were the plan, and Connyn and Coth were unwanted surprises. At first the queen was bitter towards them, but it was not long before her heart accepted the existence of the other two, though it was apparent that Calcas was favored. All children that came after Calcas became liabilities, unwanted and undesired extras, though it could not be said their mother, at least, did not eventually grow to care something for them; but mother had been ill and had been too weak to spend time with her children, by then, and the woman became only a face. There but not _there_.

The last three of them came in those two years after the triplets, starting with the sudden birth of Kelin-Sel. Conceived the same year the triplets were born, he was a January baby and was followed by Iscawin less than a year after. Their mother was at the end of her ropes. The thirteenth brother, Hans, came in the fifteenth year, and then the queen had been exhausted and would bear no more.

By the time Hans was weaned, it was believed the queen was on her deathbed, spent and drained by years of sickness, childbirth, and tending and nursing and mothering; though to be fair, by the time of the twins came, the eldest at least had been old enough to start helping take care of his siblings, followed by the others in time. They continued to help for the rest of their mother's child-rearing days, along with various nannies and servants who, to be completely honest, had cared for them more than father had. Caleb was father's favorite child. You could almost think he was the _only_ one.

The older children helped with the younger, as was expected in a family of such massive size. The king made sure of it, alarmed about the queen's lurking death and determined to take as much pain and exhaustion from her as possible. Year by year the queen grew weaker and weaker, tired of this hard climate and her sickness. Their father unfeeling and cruel and too indifferent to care, their mother slowly dying and too weak to care for them as she wished she could, the children were left only with each other, and the task of raising his siblings fell heavy on the shoulders of Caleb. Frankly, their choice was protect each other - more or less - or watch at least one, if not more, of their brothers die from neglect or too little food or goodness knew what else. Not that the caring had gone on for long before it was every man for themselves, and any protecting done was because of a sense of duty.

When Hans was about twenty or twenty-one, the queen had finally died in the night. To be fair, she had survived beyond her life expectancy by more than a decade. As to Hans, strife began in his twelfth year of life, when certain signs that had already been present in him began to manifest and grow, and resentment and dissatisfaction were apparent. Of course, they always had been, but at twelve they truly and totally sprang to life.

Though he was far from the only one, his change was most prominent and outwardly visible. Caleb, Moren, saw it first and acted immediately, attempting to keep Hans busy with duties and more responsibility to preoccupy him from thoughts of rebellion or contempt or resentment. Anything to protect father, of course. For a time it worked, but it soon became not enough as jealousy and longing for a throne of his own began sprouting in his mind. Moren had convinced father to give Hans even more duties and even more responsibility, hoping it would work a second time and work better if it came from father instead of him. Look where _that_ got them in the end. Here.

 _Present Day_

When the ship had put out to sea, heading towards Arendelle. Hans had felt only dread and apprehension. He didn't want to go back there. It was the _last_ place he wanted to go. Namely because he couldn't help but suspect that his siblings were bringing him back to face the trial and execution they hadn't been able to deliver. He shook his head bitterly and rose, throwing on a shirt and making himself presentable to go up on deck. He checked himself briefly in the mirror. Never more than a few seconds of looking. He didn't want to see. He turned from it quickly and went up to the deck. Exiting the cabin he was in, he closed his eyes and breathed the salty air in deeply. A smile pulled at his lips. He loved the sea and the smell of the sea air. He loved it almost as much as Jürgen seemed to. He glanced over at Jürgen. His brother looked so at home here. He got down and dirty with the crew without even a second thought and looked happy.

It wasn't often he saw Jürgen look happy unless it was a malicious sort of happiness. He seemed completely at ease there, though, helping with rigs and sails and whatnot as Moren shook his head hopelessly. Moren disapproved heavily of the wild children of the bunch, namely Jürgen and Franz. He especially hated how Franz would sneak off to town to go drink and party with other young men. Franz's town friends all knew him by Neb. Neb was kind of his casual nickname. Franz was the one more gone by. Moren - who took a vow of silence at mother's passing - would rip hopelessly into Franz through Jürgen - his voice until recently - who would always later tell Franz to take him with him next time when Moren wasn't within hearing distance. Or within 100 feet, for that matter.

Hans shrugged. It wouldn't kill him to help the sailors too. Just to keep in practice. He cast off his coat and stuffed it in his bag before going to help the sailors like Jürgen was doing. It seemed the only time him and Jürgen got along was when they were sailing a ship together. Of course they couldn't afford—out on the sea—to do anything _but_ get along. He liked those moments, when he and his brothers were at peace and working together… They were just too far spaced apart for it to ever mean anything long standing.

Hans, catching a rope Jürgen threw down to him, tied it fast and tossed a different object over to Rhun and Duach, who now were helping around the ship as well. In fact, they all were. Except for Moren who looked something akin to appalled that the princes were working right alongside the crew and learning from them like common, well, sailors, albeit with more decorum. Heaven forbid the _princes_ do such menial labor. Hans caught sight of the eldest and noticed him shaking his head hopelessly at his brothers as he scanned them. Meeting Hans's eyes, Moren rolled his own in exasperation. Hans couldn't help but smirk before realizing with a jolt that one of his brothers had just made him smirk. At the same time he suddenly noticed he felt something like content. Quickly his smirk vanished and Hans shook his head. They were still the same brothers who bullied him and ignored and hated him. He should not be feeling a moment of contentment.

Hans turned to look out over the sea towards Arendelle. A grave and solemn and bitter and disgusted look crossed his face. It wouldn't be long before it was in sight. The Southern Isles and Arendelle weren't exactly spaced far apart. A few days journey, depending on the weather. A three or four day trip in ideal conditions, _if_ that. They would see it by tonight or by tomorrow, wind, weather, and current depending. The crew began to get in a rhythm. Hans frowned as he heard the men humming, getting in tune with one another. Every time they got into a rhythm, a song was bound to happen. Of course Calcas, Connyn, and Coth were always the ones that began the music and singing. They were the musicians of the brood. Usually Hans would sit back and ignore it. Unfortunately, he wasn't so lucky this time. No sooner had they started the song when his eyes widened. No. It couldn't be. They wouldn't. Not that song, _anything_ but that song!

 _Born of cold and winter air and mountain rain combining;_

 _This icy force both foul and fair has a frozen heart worth mining._

The triplets sang the verse while singing in harmony. Hans spun around to yell at them to shut up, but the ball was already rolling.

 _So cut through the heart, cold and clear,_

 _Strike for love and strike for fear,_

 _See the beauty sharp and sheer,_

 _Split the ice apart,_

 _And break the frozen heart!_

As they sang, the sailors tossed lines to each other or cut ropes and generally went about their business. Hans immediately started trying to get through the sailors and his brothers to reach the cabin. He didn't want to hear this! If he never heard it again it would be too soon. _Frozen Heart_. Oh god why did it have to remind him of _her_? Dammit, he never wanted to be reminded of either of them ever again! The chant portion began and Hans was immediately knocked off balance by a sailor who was pulling at ropes.

 _Hup! Ho! Watch your step! Let it go!_

Hans fell into two others who were tossing something in the air. The sailors caught him and tossed him up, grinning wickedly.

 _Hup! Ho! Watch your step! Let it go!_

Hans cried out as he flew upwards. The triplets caught him, grinning wickedly at him as if they'd conspired this whole thing.

" _Beautiful_!" Calcas said.

" _Powerful_!" Connyn continued.

" _Dangerous_!" Coth exclaimed.

" _Cold_!" the three said together, passing their brother from one to the other playfully, rubbing his hair and shoving him every which way.

" _Ice has a magic, can't be controlled_!" the sailors sang as Hans broke away from the triplets and made a lunge for safety again, almost cursing them out before deciding they probably wouldn't care even if they _did_ manage to hear over the singing sailors.

" _Stronger than one_!" some sang, standing up and making Hans gasp, leaping back.

" _Stronger than ten_!" others echoed, making Hans yelp and jump forward again, looking at them in horror.

" _Stronger than a hundred men! Ya_!" the two groups sang together, closing around Hans and not even noticing him. Nothing new, Hans dryly told himself. He was used to being not noticed. He gave a frustrated cry, pulling at his hair then shoving violently passed them, bee lining for the cabin.

As the music played—the triplets, Hans knew, were providing it—the youngest prince realized very quickly he wasn't going to make the cabin with all the bustle on deck. He almost got beaned by a beam swinging around before Iscawin suddenly reached out, pulling him out of the path and smirking at his brother as the song continued, Iscawin of course singing along.

 _Born of cold and winter air and mountain rain combining,_

The sailors sang as Hans scowled murderously at his brother and jerked roughly away. Iscawin laughed.

 _This icy force both foul and fair has a frozen heart worth mining!_

Hans growled as he felt Jürgen seize his arm and spin him playfully around to the verse that was in the process of being sung. He released Hans, who spun with a cry and fell forward only to be caught by Justic and Franz, who were singing:

 _Cut through the heart, cold and clear,_

 _Strike for love and strike for fear;_

 _There's beauty and there's danger here._

Hans felt his arm grabbed and looked up, noticing Moren, surprisingly silent, pulling him away from the other two and to the front of the ship with Lars, Mael, where it was quiet.

" _Split the ice apart_!" the sailors could be heard singing as Hans blinked confusedly back at Moren, who was leaving again, then looked at Mael, who was leaning against the front of the ship. He was almost grateful to Moren; and to Mael for not singing. Of course, that disillusion ended with the next verse.

" _Beware the frozen heart_ ," Mael quietly and darkly sang, turning and looking directly at Hans. Hans felt a chill race through him as the third born sang those words so quietly. So darkly. It should annoy him… All it did was scare him… When Mael sang that verse, Hans felt as though it pertained directly to him and his treachery. Maybe it _had_ … He'd never thought of it before. He'd always likened that song to Elsa. A sudden chill as he remembered Anna's words.

 _"The only one with a frozen heart around here is you!"_

What if it meant him? If not the first half of the prophecy song, then the second half definitely. Hans blinked at Mael as the music died. Mael turned and looked back out over the ocean again, quiet and solemn. Hans swallowed nervously and looked that way too. Well, at least Mael wasn't sharing any of his dark and freaky poetry. Mael loved poetry. Writing it, reading it, anything to do with it… It and history. The third-born was particularly fond of incredibly morbid ones that used to give him, Iscawin, Kelin-Sel, and on occasion the triplets nightmares. The last notes of the music ended and all was silent again, say for the constant chatter of sailors or orders being called out by Jürgen or Moren. On occasion he would order them around too, but right now he didn't want to _look_ at any of them let alone talk to them.

Frozen

Arendelle loomed in the distance. Hans looked towards it with a look of such resignation on his face that one would think he was a prisoner being led to the execution block. In fact, he was all but willing to guarantee that was exactly what was happening. His brothers were bringing him back to have him executed. He was all but counting down the minutes he had left. He felt suddenly tired and wavered unsteadily. Someone steadied him. He blinked and glanced over. Coth. With him were Connyn and Calcas, of course. "Easy, Hans. You haven't been brought back to face a chopping block," Coth assured.

"What would any of you care even if I was?" Hans bitterly replied. The triplets cringed and exchanged looks.

"We're never going to live that down, are we?" Connyn bluntly asked.

"Nope," Hans replied.

"Oh come on, Hans," Connyn said.

"You pretended I didn't exist for two years!" Hans shot. Connyn cringed, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

"We aren't pretending anymore, Hans," Calcas said.

"Tell it to somebody who cares. I stopped a long, long time ago," Hans answered. "If no one was going to care about _me_ , I certainly wasn't going to care about them."

"We never said we didn't care," Coth muttered.

"Trust me, you didn't have to," Hans answered. "Tell me you cared and say it truthfully." The triplets were quiet, guiltily avoiding looking at him. "I thought so."

"We're caring now," Calcas quietly said.

"Too little too late," Hans answered.

"It's been too little too late for all of us since childhood," Coth murmured. They couldn't say they'd cared about their older or younger brothers much either, come age eight. About the time they'd realized they were nothing. Hardly important enough to even be thought about or acknowledged.

"You weren't the only one who ended up treated like he didn't exist," Connyn sharply snapped at Hans.

"Oh give me a break," Hans said.

"Don't pretend you know what went on in our lives, Hans!" Connyn yelled. "Or any of ours, for that matter. You were too wrapped up in your own world to open your eyes and see you weren't the only one suffering and hurting!"

"Don't cross me, you _useless_ …" Hans began, sneering darkly.

"That's enough. All of you," Justic sharply said, approaching the younger ones firmly.

"Oh go jump off the ship, Justic," Coth shot. "This doesn't concern you!"

"How dare…" Justic began before forcing himself to calm down. He had to be responsible. He couldn't get into a fight with them now. He had to be the mediator at the moment. "This behavior will not be tolerated in Arendelle, so you four best shape up and do it _damn_ quick," he darkly growled at them. They were silent, looking down at the deck. Justic harrumphed and left. The triplets huffed. Calcas roughly nudged Hans before marching off. Hans rubbed his arm with a hiss of pain and glared after Calcas, imaging running a sword through his back. Connyn walked towards the helm to see how things were while Coth gave Hans one last sad look then went to check on another part of the ship. Hans inwardly cringed and shifted. With a frustrated growl he turned around and sulkily leaned against the railing watching Arendelle draw closer and closer and closer. Closer to his worst nightmares, that was.


	3. Past: Before the Thrones of his Brothers

Past: Before the Thrones of his Brothers

(A/N: Last chapter up for a couple of weeks, as my computer is being sent off to be fixed, but when it gets back hopefully I'll be back in the swing of things. Sorry for the delay.)

The prison was dank, dark, and dreary. No light, or little, came through. He was utterly alone and kept in suspense. His own brothers had put him here. They hadn't even shown up at the dock, they hadn't made contact, they hadn't done anything. They were just twelve invisible forces. They always _had_ been. He knew they were there, but for all he'd been shown or told of them since his return, they could be dead or figments of the imagination. Maybe they were. Or dead. Dead was a more appealing thought

 _He was dead…_

He shook his head to be rid of the dark thought. Well, he was dead to _them_. If he hadn't been before, then surely he was now. The dungeon. They put him in the dungeon. They were determining his fate...

He knew, of course, what it would be. Death. The penalty for treachery was death and there were no alternatives. Well, maybe some, but they were rare. The most he could hope for was death without torture first. Surely it would be death… That was why they hadn't come… Some part of them maybe still saw him as brother—as little as he meant to them—and so to go through with it they couldn't have second thoughts. They therefore couldn't see him. To see him would be to humanize him… And realize against their will that he was, for better or worse, still blood…

The cell doors opened. "Prince Hans, you have been summoned, your grace," the guard said, coldly bowing to him. So it began. He set his jaw and steeled himself for what was to come.

Frozen

He knelt before the thrones of his brothers, head held high and defiant. The thirteen thrones circled all around him, six on each side and the one reserved for the eldest, the high king, in the middle. Two thrones were set in the shadow of that one, smaller and not part of the circle of thirteen. Once they had been thrones for mother and Moren, before father had been disposed of and mother had died… He wished their mother was here… _She_ had loved him. Or cared if nothing else... When Moren had stepped up to father's place as king, he had had the twelve extra thrones put in. He had done it so that his brothers could have a place, perhaps an attempt at repair that had ended up more a bandage on a slashed stomach. In giving his brothers a place, Moren had hoped to stop any resentment on the part of the younger ones. Clearly _that_ worked well. Note the sarcasm. Moren had been far too late. Besides, they had hardly been around him given he was with father so much and so busy learning to rule, so they couldn't see it as anything more than an empty gesture. A half-hearted apology. Hans's throne now sat empty, a seat that had never even been used, for father had died during his expedition to Arendelle. As for his brothers? ...They sat like statues, some with heads bowed, some with expressions stony and void of any emotion say for exhaustion.

For a long time no one spoke. It wasn't long before Hans got impatient and, frowning, asked, "What are you waiting for? Get this done." Had something turned them to stone or ice? Oh if he never saw ice again it would be too soon.

"Little brother, what have you done?" one finally questioned. Moren. Lethargically he looked up again. "What have you done?" he repeated in a whisper.

That tone, for a moment, completely shattered the front Hans had put up, as well as the fronts of most of the others. That tone, for the briefest of seconds, left the vulnerability and fear exposed for all to see. Made more powerful still because the eldest brother had taken a vow of silence upon their mother's death and had not spoken since say for through the second born. Quickly, however, Hans composed himself, along with the rest of the princes, and looked defiant again, though he felt very well it was not as intense as it had been. He was reminded of whenever he was scolded as a child and felt just like that now. "You know _exactly_ what I did," he replied.

"You betrayed us," the fourth born, Rudi, Rhun, said bluntly. Hans was silent.

"You were always wild and reckless, Hans," Runo, Duach, stated, shaking his head. "But that you would try to pull off something like this…"

"It was done and I can't change it now. Maybe I wouldn't even if I could," Hans replied, holding his brothers' eyes defiantly. They couldn't do anything to him. They wouldn't dare.

Jürgen shook his head bitterly. "We're through with words. Pronounce sentence, carry it out, and get him or his body out of our sight," he said to the eldest, looking away from Hans and closing his eyes tightly in disgust.

"Do you know you must die?" Mael gently asked Hans. Once upon a time, Lars had been the one brother he could talk to. Kind of. For a brief period of time at least. Now... Enough said.

Hans tilted his head, eyes narrowed. They couldn't be serious. "What?" he asked.

Justic bowed his head, until then held high in an attempt to match Hans's tactic, finally giving up the attempt to intimidate and defy that Hans was using. Hans didn't know. He didn't understand the seriousness of this… He didn't know he couldn't be let go this time… "Treachery means death, brother," he murmured. "And before this hour is up someone _will_ die here…"

"Save your tricks for someone who buys them," Hans said to his brothers, eyes narrowing. "We've played this game before."

"We have," Iscawin said quietly.

"But this time there are no more chances," Franz Neb stated. The triplets were silent, heads bowed. They were pretending he didn't exist again, Hans realized… That was when he began to get a prickle up his spine, a dark and foreboding feeling as his lips parted slightly. They… they couldn't be serious… No, this was an elaborate prank. It _had_ to be.

"I don't believe you," Hans finally said. He wasn't falling for it this time. Kelin-Sel, also until then silent, smirked sadly at his brother and continued to say nothing, smirk returning to the blank look of before. His eldest brother looked at him for a long moment in silence.

"Yes… a joke…" Rhun finally murmured. An executioner stepped forward from the shadows. Servants entered and, on the floor of the throne room, placed a basket and a chopping block. Hans's eyes widened in horror and disbelief. It was a joke, it was a joke. He wouldn't be swayed by this. It was a joke. Moren closed his eyes tightly the opened them once more, composing himself. He was not a brother, anymore. He was a king. When he became a king, his siblings quailed. Hans was no exception, and he visibly shivered at the suddenly cold and impersonal look. He held a scroll out to Jürgen.

Taking the scroll, Jürgen opened it. "Hans, youngest Prince of the Southern Isles, on this day your crimes have been examined and judged to be no less than an act of treason against Arendelle and the Southern Isles. On that charge the punishment is clear. You are sentenced to death…" Jürgen rolled up the scroll. Moren looked at the executioner and, though his expression remained unchanged, somehow he suddenly seemed about thirty years older and exhausted. "Be quick," he pled.

The executioner nodded. Hans felt terror shoot through him as he felt his arms seized and felt himself being forced to the ground. He struggled to stay on his feet, refusing to be forced down. They'd call an end to this prank, surely. Why did he tell himself this was just a prank when he knew it wasn't? Denial, perhaps? He didn't bother thinking about it long. He was more focused on trying to find a way to talk himself out of this. "Hold, brother," Kelin-Sel said. The king looked over at him, and those trying to force Hans to his knees paused. "Is there not a law unique to the Southern Isles that permits another to die in place of the accused?"

Moren was silent and looked to Justic, silently cuing him. "There is," Justic finally admitted, though he was reluctant to. He sensed, you see, what Kelin-Sel was driving at. So did Moren.

Kelin-Sel nodded and looked at Hans a long moment, thinking something over. "Then I'll take it," he said, rising from his throne. "Release the prince." The guards were reluctant and looked uneasily at the king. Moren was looking down, not protesting or consenting, and so the guards released Hans. Hans, in the meantime, was gaping at his brother in shock. What just happened here?

"Are you trying to teach me a moral lesson?" Hans demanded of his brothers angrily. He knew there was something to this. "No wait, you want something from me, don't you?" he added, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Kelin-Sel smirked. "Does everything need an alternative motive, Hans?" he questioned.

"With all of you? Yes," Hans shot sharply. "When did you begin to care again? I long stopped falling for that."

"Kelin-Sel, are you sure you want to do this?" Connyn questioned, the first of the triplets to dare speak. They were suddenly paying attention again.

Kelin-Sel was silent. He moved suddenly forward, cape billowing behind him. He wouldn't give himself time to second-guess this. He knelt to the ground gracefully, laying his sword at his side and unclasping his cape, casting it away. "I will take my brother's place," he said, bowing his head to Hans. Hans stood, mouth agape.

Frozen

"You're out of your mind!" Coth blurted. "Moren, Justic, there has to be a way around this! Isn't there anything that can be done to spare Kelin-Sel and Hans both?!" Moren was silent. Justic was frantically racking his brain for any loophole. Had he the opportunity to research it further, he would. As it was they were out of time. But surely there was some way…

"There has to be a way to stall this, at least a little longer!" Calcas insisted, practically reading his Justic's mind. Justic frowned, troubled. He couldn't think of anything, but perhaps that was because of the stress he was feeling right now.

"Release the prince," Moren murmured, surprising them all again. It was rare he made such decisions without Justic's legal advice. Hans was released from the tight shackles and winced, massaging his raw wrists.

"You are certain of this, Kelin-Sel?" Mael questioned.

"I am," he answered.

"Enough already! I get the point. Your play worked, yay for you," Hans said, shifting uneasily. "Drop it now and let him go already."

Kelin-Sel smirked and chuckled affectionately. "That's all it is, Hans, a play. You don't need to worry. Let it reach its end," he said to his sibling as if Hans were a child again and was getting worried about some scary story Rhun or Franz or Jürgen were telling him.

"I will," Hans flippantly answered, marching to his throne and sitting in it, folding his arms and challengingly glaring.

Kelin-Sel shook his head fondly, smiling at his little brother. His hands were bound tightly behind him and his hair tied up, exposing his neck. The guard placed a foot on his back and pushed him down lightly so his head bent over the executioner's block, the basket positioned beneath. Hans began shifting uncomfortably. "What kind of sick joke is this? You've outdone yourself, Neb," he sneered at Franz suspiciously. Franz Neb closed his eyes.

"If it's a joke, Hans, you don't need to worry," Mael assured. "Don't be afraid. It'll be over soon."

"I'm not afraid!" Hans snapped sharply. "This is revolting even for me! This joke has gone on long enough now put a stop to it!" None of the others answered. Hans's eyes widened in fear, the mask finally crumbling to a more frantic expression as he looked from them to Kelin-Sel to the executioner. "This is sick," he murmured again, hands tightly clamped on the arms of his throne.

The executioner raised the axe above his head. Hans shot to his feet, fear now present in his expression. He felt as though he were a scared child again, asking his older brothers to search his room for a monster that he knew was there but couldn't find alone. Sometimes he and Iscawin and Kelin-Sel, who had shared a room for a long time, would make a game of it and pretend monsters were everywhere. Then they would get themselves so frightened that Kelin-Sel would tell him and Iscawin that they could sleep in his bed if they wanted to and would admit he was scared too. He'd never been as frightened as them, though, and they would scramble in desperately and the three would cuddle close to each other. They'd call the triplets and tell them about what happened and sometimes the triplets would search, but sometimes even they would be scared enough by the stories to crawl into the bed with them so they wouldn't be on the ground. At which point they would all call for their bigger brothers to come… It was one of the earliest and only semi-decent memories Hans had.

"You've made your point, dammit Caleb. Stop this!" Hans insisted to his eldest brother. "You're king! Stop it, please! You've made your point!"

"It's only a play, Hans," Jürgen said.

"Don't give me that lie! Stop this, stop it!" Hans desperately begged. Wait. He was actually _begging_? He was actually _frantic_?

"Hans," Kelin-Sel said. Hans sharply looked over, eyes wide and uncertain. "It's alright. Just close your eyes and the bad things will go away, I promise," he teased gently. Apparently he too was remembering childhood and the monsters.

Iscawin suddenly sobbed, covering his mouth and closing his eyes tightly, shaking his head. Swiftly he forced himself to get a grip. "When our brothers come the evil runs to hide because bad things never happen when we're all together," he said in a breaking voice, also remembering. "The bad things are afraid, because when the princes of the Southern Isles are with each other nothing can hurt us anymore."

Hans was pacing viciously back and forth now. "Except sometimes the bad things never go away, they don't! Mom never came back, did she?!" Hans challenged viciously. They weren't children anymore! They knew now that not everything bad could be fixed when their brothers or morning came again.

"Just pretend this is all a dream," Kelin-Sel said.

"I can't pretend death is a dream!" Hans freaked.

"Tell yourself I died a long time ago," Kelin-Sel answered, winking at his brother. "Might help to convince yourself I was part of your imagination."

"Don't you dare…" Hans began.

"Get it done," Kelin-Sel ordered the executioner.

Frozen

The executioner immediately brought down the axe. Oh gods, this wasn't a joke! Hans didn't think, just acted on instinct, drawing his sword and leaping ahead, swiftly blocking the axe blade while tripping the executioner. The blocking of the axe didn't so much save Kelin-Sel as the axe man falling had, but regardless the outcome was the same. Kelin-Sel was still breathing and Hans was losing it. "If you try to pull this sham off I will take you out, I swear to god!" Hans freaked at the executioner. "If anyone comes near him again I will kill them where they stand! Don't mess with me, dammit! If I can nearly kill a queen and leave a princess to die, you can _bet_ I'm capable of killing anyone who tries to hurt me or my brothers again!" It seemed it was his turn to be protector, Hans noted to himself. It was nothing he'd ever imagined he would ever try to be or even _want_ to be, and yet here he was, defending a brother who hated him despite this farce, and who he hated in turn. But when it was all said and done, right now you could bet that anyone who came near his sibling and him to try and pull Hans away was getting a blade through the gut. His eyes blazed like an inferno.

"Hans…" Kelin-Sel began sharply.

"Silence!" Hans snapped at him, pointing his blade at his stunned sibling. "This is unacceptable and I'm not standing for it!"

"Here I thought you wanted the throne early," Kelin-Sel dryly remarked.

"I'm not getting it and you know that full well!" Hans yelled. Odds that all of his brothers would die before him without any children to their names were slim to none. None, actually. Some _were_ fathers.

"Someone dies, Hans!" Jürgen suddenly and viciously shouted, rising from his throne in a second. "If it isn't you, it will be one of us! Unless a pardon or message of forgiveness or plea for mercy on your behalf is obtained from the Queen of Arendelle, someone dies!"

"Then hold off, please! At least until tomorrow or the next day!" Hans pled. "I have to…" He trailed off. He was going to say 'fix this', but then his brothers would get suspicious and not take their eyes off of him. "I have to say goodbye to him…" he finished. "We all do… Or you all need to say goodbye to me."

 _Because damn him if he was letting his sibling take…_

Oh heck no! His sibling could die in his place, he couldn't care less! Let Kelin-Sel throw away his life for him. He would still be alive, at least…

 _No. Oh gods no, he couldn't live with that. Not that punishment. It was too cruel. He wouldn't be able to live with it. It would be a worse sentence than death!_

Ugh, what was he saying? He loved life, he hated his brothers! Sure it might be an inconvenience to see Kelin-Sel die, but he'd still be alive and mourning didn't last forever!

 _But memory and the pain of it did, and guilt..._

No, no, he couldn't be thinking like that. Besides, by tomorrow it wouldn't matter anyway. He'd have found a way to remedy this. "Just one more night," Hans said.

The brother-king was silent. Finally, though, Moren nodded. "Agreed," he replied. Jürgen bitterly grumbled. He couldn't say he was pleased with the answer Moren had given. Moren, for his part, was all too glad to answer in the affirmative. He didn't honestly know if he could have stomached seeing this death now. Goodbye would be good for them all… And another night might be all he and Justic would need to find a loophole that could get them around anyone's death.


	4. Daughters of Light, Sons of Darkness

Daughters of Light, Sons of Darkness

(A/N: Finally got my computer back so I can start posting this story again. Here's an extra long chapter to make up for the time I was gone. Enjoy.)

Anna was practically hopping up and down, a bundle of nerves. "I can't believe this is happening. You actually _invited_ them!" she exclaimed to Elsa as she stood with her sister and Kristoff on the balcony, overlooking the ocean and the ships coming in.

Anna still couldn't believe what her sister had told her a week ago. No tact, no nothing, she had just come into her room and said, "I've invited the king and princes of the Southern Isles to Arendelle to discuss our political relations in the wake of Hans's treachery." Anna had been frozen in disbelief. All she'd been able to do was look at Elsa with wide and shocked eyes and blink. Elsa had awkwardly cleared her throat, looking a bit guilty, and left.

"What were you thinking?" Anna asked for probably the dozenth time.

"We have already lost Weselton as a trading partner. We can't afford to lose another ally, Anna," Elsa answered.

"These allies are the brothers of the guy who tried to kill you two and take over Arendelle," Kristoff bluntly said, grimacing. "For all we know his brothers are worse than Hans! I mean look at the ships they're bringing. There might be more. What if they're planning an attack?"

"You're being paranoid," Elsa replied, rolling her eyes. In reality, though, she was nervous too. She had already run every scenario she could possibly think of around in her head. She was stressing over most of them. They'd never ended well for Arendelle. None of them. "We can't continue on being paranoid about our political allies and their intentions."

"Yes we can," Anna said.

"Anna," Elsa warned, frowning at her sister in a silent message to back off.

"I got the impression his brothers weren't exactly the greatest guys around, sis," Anna bluntly said. "Three of them pretended he didn't exist for two years."

"Did he say anything else that hinted at them being creeps?" Elsa deadpanned.

"Well, no, but…" Anna began.

"Enough. I've heard enough. Everything else he said was a lie, why not that too?" Elsa replied.

"Right. For all we know he doesn't even _have_ 12 brothers," Kristoff said.

Elsa cringed. She knew otherwise. "Besides, even if he was telling the truth about them ignoring him for two years, that doesn't change the fact they couldn't bring themselves to sentence him to die. That counts for something, at least," she said. "If nothing else it's proof they're more merciful than _he_ was. Or King Moren at least, if none of the others."

"Elsa…" Anna began.

Elsa smiled reassuringly at her sister. "Hey, I've got this, okay?" she said, putting her hands on Anna's shoulders. "Trust me."

Anna sighed. "Okay," she replied, smiling. She grinned as Elsa hugged her with a giggle. The two pulled apart and watched the ships. "I wonder what they look like," Anna said, mind spinning with a million different ideas. "Not all of them can be as good-looking as Hans was, or even in his league."

"Hey!" Kristoff protested. "What am I, chopped liver?"

Anna grinned teasingly at him. "Don't worry, Kristoff. I'll bet they're all hideous. I bet they're old and wrinkly, or fat and slovenly," she said. "At least one of them has to be. I mean what are the odds the King and Queen of the Southern Isles gave birth to thirteen children as gorgeous as Hans?" Kristoff harrumphed.

The ship pulled into port and was efficiently and promptly docked. The gang plank was being lowered. Curiosity eating him up as well, Kristoff took a telescope and peered through it at the deck of the ship and those disembarking. His eyes widened and he gasped. "What is it?" Elsa asked, immediately on the alert. Weapons, maybe? Hidden troops?

Anna, for her part, was oblivious to the possible threat Kristoff's gasp could mean. "What is it? Are they fat? Old? Despicable and dirty?" she giggled.

"Uh-uh-uh…" Kristoff stammered.

"Come on, spit it out," Anna eagerly said, grinning excitedly up at him and holding her hands together eagerly as she hopped in place.

"Well, um, it depends. Wh-what are your feelings towards facial hair and glasses?" Kristoff questioned.

"I hate both. Separate or together?" Anna asked.

"Um, together," Kristoff answered.

"I knew it! One of them is hideous!" Anna said, snatching the telescope and peering through. She gasped, mouth dropping.

"Anna, what's wrong?" Elsa asked. Anna was silent, flabbergasted. "Anna?" Elsa asked.

"Ooh… um, suddenly I'm not so anti-glasses and facial hair," she squeaked. Elsa started and snatched the telescope, looking through. Her mouth dropped.

Frozen

One of the first to depart was a man in his thirties with neatly tied back auburn hair, wearing glasses and sporting a soul patch. The one following him was grinning teasingly, poking his annoyed brother's—and they _were_ definitely brothers—back. He had brown hair and sported much more facial hair. Full facial hair, in fact, and his hair hung loose, long, semi-curly, and wild. So someone please explain how the _heck_ he could possibly look so good? The one coming after him was a young man with short black hair and no facial hair. He looked young for his age, you could tell that much at least. Oh how he looked younger than his age. He wore clothes reminiscent of a buccaneer with a good dose of highwayman thrown in and was, for lack of a better word, gorgeous. Following him were three young men who looked strikingly similar. You could hardly tell them apart. They had red hair, a little darker than Hans's had been, and immediately Elsa began looking for tells. Okay, one had a beauty mark on his neck. Another had a birth mark on his chest—which was slightly exposed, might she add, by the partially unbuttoned shirt, and not at all unattractive to look at—and the third had a scar from something or other on his jawline, though the scar only gave him a more rugged feel.

After the triplets—they had to be triplets, right?—came a man who made her heart skip a beat. She heard Anna swoon and Kristoff growl angrily. He wore a long cloak. His hair was black and hung shoulder length and loose, semi-curly. His eyes were black as well, or seemed that way, but not in a good way. In a really freaky way that made her shiver as much as it made her heart thump. He had to be the most beautiful of the bunch! Even Hans couldn't compare. Ooh, but this next one was giving him a run for his money. Wavy titian hair, eyes that were Hans's green, and a smile that was brilliant and white. He wore a long cape fastened at his throat by an intricate brooch, and his boots were tall. After him came another young man. He looked a good deal like Hans in that his hair and eyes were the same, but his face was of a different shape and he wore the clothes of a commoner, which indicated he was very sympathetic to the plight of the poor and wasn't as stuck up as most royalty she had seen. Coming after him—and lecturing him on his dress no doubt—was a man who had no extremely defining features, though he was no less beautiful than the rest, say for the birthmark on his neck. Birthmark? Wait. Her eyes widened. That was a _brand_! Which meant something had happened to him at some point that had left that mark. She almost dreaded to know what, because the symbol looked eerily familiar. As in pirate familiar. Had he faced off with the dread pirate Meilic? Wow, brave guy for someone who looked like he preferred staying at home to wandering.

After that one came a large man. Very tall and very, very well built. Almost more so than even Kristoff. He had no hair, but somehow the look worked on him well, especially given the accenting facial hair he had—it was of a blond tinge, an odd contrast to the rest of his siblings—that made him look younger than he was. And he was very pale. She saw a large scar on his head and cringed. He seemed a warrior, to her. Perhaps he was. A very good looking one, she inwardly noted. Following that one came the last two, Hans and the one that was definitely King Moren. She had to double take. She couldn't believe it. They looked so much _alike_ , only Moren had a goatee, and a well-tended one at that. The only other difference was the eye color.

Frozen

"They are _all_ gorgeous?" Anna numbly said. "That shouldn't be allowed! No couple should be able to have thirteen children and have all of them be beautiful!"

"And we get to mingle with them all," Elsa said. Anna squealed along with her sister as they held hands. Elsa, wasn't usually one to much care for such things, but it was fun to tease her sister's beau.

"Right here, girls, right here!" Kristoff jealously shot.

"Oh lighten up," Elsa said, smiling at him. "You can get revenge on Anna by looking at some of the women that will be attending the party."

"Don't you dare," Anna said, frowning at Kristoff.

"What? You get to 'appreciate the scenery' and I don't?" Kristoff teased.

"I won't look if you don't," Anna joked back, smirking. No matter how good looking any of Hans's brothers were, they wouldn't compare to Kristoff. Not in _her_ heart. And especially not if they were all like Hans. The thought made her inwardly grimace and feel like throwing up.

"We must go down now, Anna. Soon it will be time to welcome the King and Princes of the Southern Isles," Elsa said, collecting together her dignity and cold demeanor again. Her cold demeanor made those she dealt with feel intimidated and reminded them exactly who they were in audience with. It demanded respect and gave her something of a foothold. If they respected her, despite her young age they were less inclined to try to take advantage. All grace, Elsa moved down through the palace. Anna and Kristoff followed.

Frozen

Elsa stood tall and proud on the steps of her castle, Anna at one side and an awkward looking Kristoff at the other. The servants stood behind them. Towards them came the thirteen princes of the Southern Isles, the King in the lead looking every bit as majestic and royal as Elsa, his long cloak dragging behind him. She would have expected servants to be picking up the train, but there weren't any. He let it drag behind without any shame or disgrace. Flanking him were the black eyed and beautiful yet frightening young man, and the one who dressed as a buccaneer and highwayman. Behind them were the triplets, breaking the age pattern. After those three came the young man with glasses, the muscular one, the one with the brand on his neck, and the one with wild long hair. In the back were the last of the sons of the Southern Isles, consisting of the titian haired one wearing a cape—who was almost as lovely as the black eyed one—the young man dressed in less rich robes than his brothers, and Hans. From above it would have seemed they walked in the shape of an arrowhead.

The King stopped before her and raised his hand, silently commanding his brothers to bow and show their respect. This they did accordingly, bowing to Elsa and Anna. Anna, flabbergasted and open mouthed, found herself curtseying in return, flustered at the display. Kristoff bowed awkwardly. He was amazed at the control the King seemed to have over his siblings, though he got the sense it was a rehearsed thing done for show and that the king really didn't have as much authority over them as he would have liked. Still, it exuded a sense of power and let you know these men weren't to be trifled with.

"King Moren Westergaard," Elsa greeted, nodding elegantly with hands clasped in front of her.

"Queen Elsa," Moren greeted, nodding in turn.

"This is my sister Anna, and her fiancé Kristoff," Elsa said, beckoning first to Anna, on her right, then to Kristoff, on her left. "Welcome to Arendelle. I expect things to go well." It was as much a warning as a respectful remark.

"I expect as much as well," Moren replied, glaring pointedly over his brothers, each of which shifted uneasily. "From second born down, these are my brothers. Jürgen," The one dressed as a buccaneer, Elsa noted. "Mael," The most beautiful and frightening of them, she saw. "Rhun," The one with the glasses and soul patch. "Duach," The well-built and bald one. "Justic," The one with the brand. "Franz Neb," the one with the wild hair and mischievous glint. "Calcas, Connyn, and Coth," The triples, Calcas the one with the beauty mark, Connyn the one with the birthmark, and Coth the one with the scar on his jawline. "Kelin-Sel," The second most beautiful one, the one with the titian hair and the cape. "Iscawin, forgive his dress but he believes in making statements no matter how inappropriate they are at a royal meeting," He was the one who dressed poorer than his brothers, and who was now gawking at her in starry-eyed amazement that made her flush ever so slightly; my, but he was good looking. "And Hans, of course, you have met," Moren finished, gesturing coldly to Hans. Elsa's eyes hardened, as did Anna's and Kristoff's. Hans never graced them with a bow, only glared equally as coldly back at them, no sign of remorse or regret in his gaze.

"We have," Elsa icily said, glaring at Hans.

"A pity you didn't bring him in chains," Anna bitterly said.

"Anna!" Elsa shot sharply and warningly. Anna bit her tongue and backed down.

"Believe me, it was considered," the one named Jürgen dryly stated, glaring back at Hans. Hans sneered at him then went back to brooding quietly.

"Welcome to Arendelle," Elsa said to them all. The people watching the meeting clapped loudly, cheering. Elsa turned with Anna and Kristoff to lead the thirteen princes inside. They followed obligingly.

Frozen

"You tried to kill _that_?" Iscawin hissed at Hans in shock, pointing at Elsa.

"Drop it," Hans warned.

"Were you out of your mind?" Kelin-Sel questioned, just as stunned by Elsa's beauty.

"Do you want an answer?" Hans asked.

"Not really," Kelin-Sel said.

"You were sane and you tried to kill that?" Iscawin repeated, still bowled over by the action.

"My _first_ plan was to marry her," Hans defended. "Of course the odds of that happening were zilch. The woman is as cold as ice. Best not get too infatuated. She won't spare you a second look. She won't spare any of us one."

"I'll take that challenge," Iscawin said, unable to take his eyes off of her. Hans rolled his eyes. "My god she's beautiful…" Hans was quiet, watching her. He wouldn't deny that. Anyone with eyes to see couldn't hope to. But beauty wasn't everything. Beauty was a mask and a lie.

"Hi there!" a voice said suddenly. All of the princes turned. Their mouths dropped. A snowman stood in a doorway waving cheerily at them, a little flurry over his head.

"What the he…!" Duach began before Jürgen clamped a hand over his mouth. Duach pulled it away, glaring. "I was going to say heck," he weakly defended.

"Yeah. Right," Jürgen replied.

"My name's Olaf, and I love warm hugs!" Olaf said, eagerly prancing up to the princes.

"Olaf, I told you to stay hidden!" Anna exclaimed. The princes weren't ready to see this!

"Why?" Olaf asked.

"It-it's a talking _snowman_!" Rhun said. "That isn't _possible_!"

"Yes it is! Here I am," Olaf cheerily said. "Who wants a hug?"

Franz suddenly burst into laughter and went right up to the snowman. "Why not? What a cute little creature _you_ are," he said, grinning at the snowman, intrigued and impressed. Olaf grinned. "Come here, you!" Franz said, kneeling and giving the snowman a bear hug. Elsa and Anna giggled in approval, suddenly much more interested in Franz. He, at least, seemed nice. Kristoff himself couldn't help but smirk.

"Yay!" Olaf cheered. Franz laughed, pulling away. "Where did _this_ come from?" he asked.

"Elsa created me!" Olaf exclaimed. Franz started, smile falling to surprise. All eyes went to Elsa, who was pale.

Frozen

"I-I, he means Anna and I built him and… something brought him to life," Elsa covered, though she was being purposely vague. The princes let it go this round, but Elsa was acutely aware of the suspicion in the eyes of a good deal of them.

"Well then, Olaf, come along with us why don't you?" Franz said, smiling at the snowman, slipping on a glove and offering his hand to it. Hmm, he would make a good father, Elsa noted. She kicked herself for the thought. She, personally, wasn't interested, but the fact remained he would.

"You mean it? Wow! Anna thought you guys would destroy me or something ridiculous like that," Olaf said, taking the hand. Anna blushed deeply and grinned innocently at the brothers, who were looking incredulously at her, say for the triplets.

"Oh, we used to destroy snowmen all the time," Connyn said, smirking evilly at Olaf and not even looking at Anna, hardly fazed by the accusation. Olaf started and gulped.

"Mostly mine," Hans grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"You were the one that liked snowmen," Coth replied, shrugging. "Iscawin and Kelin-Sel preferred forts."

"And you destroyed a good deal of those too," Iscawin coldly said to his brothers. The triplets shrugged innocently.

"Jerks," Kelin-Sel said, rolling his eyes.

"Behave," Moren darkly warned his siblings, who seemed ready to get rowdy. They all blinked and fell silent, getting back into formation. "Forgive them, your majesty. Most have never been away from the Southern Isles and so do not know how to behave when being hosted by other lands."

"It's alright," Elsa assured. "Anna seems to have that problem as well," she added, glaring at her sister who was giving the evil eye to Hans none too subtly. Anna started and cringed, clearing her throat and going back to poised, trying to ignore the fact Hans was back again and not locked up.

Frozen

"This will be the hall where you all will stay," Elsa said, gesturing down the hall at the various guest room doors. The grand one will be reserved for you of course, King Moren," she added.

"As my lady wishes," Moren said, bowing his head to her.

"Who will be sharing with Hans?" Elsa questioned, subtly reminding Moren of his promise that Hans wouldn't be left alone for a moment as long as they were here, and up until his trial and sentence. Moren looked expectantly back at his brothers. None of them spoke up and in fact avoided his eyes.

Moren shook his head hopelessly at them. "If no one volunteers, he will stay with me," he said. Elsa raised an eyebrow at the princes coldly. Were they really going to let the King put off his honor in order to share his room with a criminal? Okay, maybe that was a bit prejudiced, but still.

Iscawin caught her cold look. He decided quickly he didn't want to make a bad impression on Elsa and stepped forward. "My lady Elsa—I mean, my queen—I will share a room with Hans. Happily I will. I should be able to keep him in check." Elsa tilted her head curiously at him then caught on. She smirked. He was infatuated with her. Hmm, in a way it was sweet.

"As will I, your majesty," Kelin-Sel offered as well. "Hans is the better swordsman between them, and I will not run the risk of the two getting into a fight that will end… not too cleanly."

"Your vote of confidence is reassuring, Kelin-Sel," Hans deadpanned. Kelin-Sel shrugged, unapologetic.

"Very well," Elsa said, smiling. "Show them to their rooms," she commanded her servants. "In one hour the banquet will begin. Settle yourselves and then join us post haste," Elsa commanded.

"As you desire, Queen Elsa," Moren answered. Elsa nodded, beckoning for Anna and Kristoff to follow her away. They did so, leaving the Southern Isles princes to get comfortable.

Exiting the hall, she looked at the guards posted outside of it. "Keep a close eye on them," Elsa commanded. She wasn't ready to trust just yet.

"Yes, your majesty," the guards said together, saluting her. Elsa nodded and continued on, Anna and Kristoff following.

Frozen

Hans wandered towards the stables. It was Connyn, Mael, Duach, and Kelin-Sel accompanying him out there. He was leading Sitron and inwardly complaining about being babysat by his siblings. At the same time he was disturbingly flattered that they felt that four of them would be needed to ensure he didn't make a break for it. It meant they saw him as more of a threat with a sword than he'd suspected, and that was good. He brought the horse into the stables. They heard a sound and looked over.

Duach's eyes widened. "What _is_ that?!" he exclaimed, pointing at something.

"It's a reindeer," Mael said.

"They have a tame reindeer?" Duach dubiously asked. How weird _was_ this royal family?

"It belongs to Anna's fiancé," Hans said. "He grew up with that thing. They're best friends."

"Guy doesn't have much of a social life, does he?" Connyn remarked. Hans smirked at Connyn in silent agreement. Connyn shared the disdainful smirk with his brother.

"He is the princess's fiancé. You two have no place snickering at his expense," Kelin-Sel said, frowning at them.

"Who's snickering?" Connyn questioned.

"You know what he means," Mael said, looking warningly at Connyn.

Connyn cringed and was quick to look away from Mael's gaze. He sighed in annoyance, rolling his eyes. "Fine," he agreed.

Franz approached with Olaf still tagging along. The two were laughing. Franz, spotting his brothers, went to them grinning. "This snowman has to be the funniest little thing I've ever met," he said to them.

Hans glared coldly at Olaf and rolled his eyes. "It's a snowman," Duach deadpanned.

"A living one!" Olaf said.

"I wonder how long it would take to break you into bits," Connyn said, smirking at it. Olaf's eyes widened in fear.

"Enough, Connyn," Franz warned his sibling.

"Oh come on, I'm only teasing it," Connyn defended.

"It's a he," Franz said.

"It would be you to get attached to a snowman," Duach said, shaking his head.

"Ah, but no ordinary snowman. One with quite the personality if you care to get to know him," Franz said, smirking mischievously. He turned attention to the reindeer, frowning. "Uh, explain."

"Oh, that's Sven! He belongs to Kristoff. They're best friends and I'm Sven's best friend too!" Olaf said.

"Guy doesn't have much of a social life, does he?" Franz deadpanned.

"Thank you!" Connyn said, looking triumphantly at Mael.

"Down," Mael darkly warned. Connyn blinked then looked away, folding his arms and muttering.

"Creepy son of a…" Duach began. Mael shot him a dark look and Duach bit his tongue savagely. He winced in pain but made no complaint.

"Look, let's just get back to the palace. The banquet will start any minute. Moren will have our heads if we enter late," Hans said to them, ensuring Sitron was comfortable in his stall. The others nodded in agreement and headed back.

Frozen

They were seated around the banquet table, now, close to Anna and Elsa's sides. Numerous other guests were chatting animatedly with one another. "He has a reindeer?" Coth questioned, unsure he's heard correctly.

"A tame one. And smart. It seemed to understand everything we were saying," Duach answered.

"Guy doesn't have…" Coth began.

"We've heard it before. Twice," Hans said, rolling his eyes. "No, he has no social life. The man was raised by trolls."

"Trolls? Wow. I wonder what _that_ was like," Coth remarked.

"You're sitting not that far from the guy. Ask," Hans said, shrugging.

"This is hardly the appropriate time to bring up the peasant's past," Coth said. "Not in front of all the nobility. It would humiliate him, and Anna too."

"You really don't know much about them, do you?" Hans asked, smirking. "Trust me, he's more likely to boast about it, and she'll enthusiastically speak of them too."

"She's different," Coth said, looking ponderously at Anna.

"Forget it, Coth. You won't take her from under Kristoff's nose. It's more likely you'll get your head bashed in," Hans said.

"More's the pity for it," Coth said dryly, shaking his head. "Kristoff, I have heard interesting tales about your past. Trolls, I believe?"

Kristoff looked curiously over then immediately brightened. "Y-yeah. Oh they were great! Grand Pabby, the others, they were good to me and Sven. We didn't have anybody else. They were the best!"

"And also darker than you know," Mael murmured. Kristoff frowned, glaring at him.

"Are you insulting them?" Kristoff demanded.

"You have not heard…" Mael murmured.

"Heard what?" Kristoff suspiciously asked.

"About an ancient mirror, a magical one, a cursed one. Shattered in the sky by the trolls. The splinters rained down from the heavens upon the earth. Some got a sliver in their eyes, some in their heart, some in both. Should a sliver land in the eye, all things beautiful that they saw would appear distorted and hideous and ugly. Slivers that struck the heart froze it solid so that no love could be felt, only cruelty and wickedness without remorse," Mael murmured.

"That would explain Hans," Kristoff bit at Hans.

Hans stiffened, looking at his food. Sharply he looked up, eyes narrowed. "Not everything can be chalked up to cursed mirrors, mountain man," he bit.

"Really? Because you certainly don't seem normal to me," Kristoff said.

"You will refrain from insulting our brother, Sir Kristoff," Moren's voice coldly said. They were aware, suddenly, that all had fallen silent and were listening.

"Sorry," Kristoff muttered, not wanting to make a scene. Hans, eyes flashing, suddenly seized his glass of wine and splashed Kristoff with it Kristoff gasped, standing up. "Why you little…" he began, lunging and seizing Hans's shirt. Hans scowled at him, ready to fight back.

Calcas quickly rose, prying the two apart. "Will you stop it?! This is a royal banquet, behave like the adults you are!" he shot. Kristoff and Hans grimaced but separated. Calcas glared at them then sat down. "Tell us more about your troll family, Kristoff. It sounds interesting." He glared over at Mael. "Please don't start spinning your tales of the evil trolls of old. It's apparent they've toned it down if Kristoff's story is anything to go by."

"Or they have hidden it well," Mael muttered, picking at his food.

"Don't go there, brother," Calcas warned. "This is a banquet and no one wants to hear your grim stories or listen to your nihilist viewpoints. Just… stay silent, why don't you? You couldn't say anything happy if your life depended on it. Kill joy."

"What is there to be joyous of?" Mael questioned.

"Don't even," Calcas warned. Mael shrugged and fell silent accordingly.

"Well handled, brother," Moren said, smirking at Calcas. Calcas blinked then grinned widely. He hadn't heard a word of praise or an acknowledgement from his brother since god knew when. It had been _years_.

"Well, the trolls found us when Sven and I were in their territory…" Kristoff began, feeling the tension dying and finally daring to open up a bit more about the past. With an occasional enthusiastic addition from Anna, the next hour or so was spent in mirth, laughing about the trolls and the antics Kristoff spoke of.


	5. Past: I Beg Your Mercy

Past: I Beg Your Mercy

Hans paced back and forth in his room restlessly, mind whirling a mile a minute. There had to be a way out of this. Justic and Moren were searching the library, but if Justic didn't know of a loophole off the top of his head, it probably didn't exist. Goodness knew the man had spent enough—cough, cough, countless—hours up in the library researching enough laws. Back to the problem at hand. His own life. He was not going to be cut down like some dog. He looked out the window towards Arendelle. A pardon from the queen, a plea for the sparing of his life, or an offer of a delayed and possibly moved trial was all he would need; but he couldn't go to her for it. At least not personally. However, through the mouth of one of his brothers…

He clicked his tongue against his teeth then turned, quickly going to a writing desk and pulling out parchment and a quill. He sat down and thought. How to phrase this? Nothing of him could slip into it, at least not without being hidden well. He rose and went to a letter in his room that had been written by Moren. It wasn't much, but it was all he would need to forge his brother's writing style and make the letter convincing enough to sound like the brother king. Not that Queen Elsa knew King Moren at all, but better safe than sorry. One of her advisors or servants _might_. He had no clue what Moren got up to half the time. None of them did. Moren just wasn't around that often. Or was hiding from or avoiding them. Hans read through the letter then nodded to himself. Laying it down, he turned attention to the blank parchment and put the quill to the paper. He suddenly felt more content and at home than he had for a long time. He almost got sidetracked before telling himself to focus.

 _Most Esteemed Queen of Arendelle:_

 _I write to you to thank you that you did not have my treacherous brother executed for the distress he brought to you and your fair sister. I pray you are well, and Princess Anna also._

 _I cannot apologize deeply enough for my good for nothing sibling's power grab. I promise you we will punish the whelp accordingly, only please, my queen, do not ask for his death. I beg you. Not at our hands._

 _When you sent him back to us, I have no doubt you saw it as an undeserved mercy, but Queen Elsa, your mercy has become our agony and lamentation. Now we are to be punished for our brother's wrong, for though you meant well, you know not what you have done._

 _Most powerful ruler, the anguish and torture you suffer us to face is worse than had you cut all ties to the Southern Isles from the start, or had had his head there; for you well know, your majesty, that the punishment for treachery is death and that there is no other option. You have spared our brother his life at your hand only to give the task to his very own brothers. His brothers who now must pass the judgement upon their youngest sibling and who must now watch him hang or be beheaded or stoned before their own eyes. You may see him as a good for nothing man, but he is still our brother. Have we offended you in some way as well, that you would leave us to witness his demise?_

 _I beg you, noble queen, take this task from us. Remember your own sister and how it felt to lose her. Lift that punishment from us. You need only ask we spare his life and our brother will live another day. We will not have to watch him die. Please. And if you do not spare him, let him at least face trial in Arendelle. I beg your mercy. Do not make me do this._

 _With all respect and honor,_

 _King Moren Westergaard of the Southern Isles_

Frozen

Hans checked over his handiwork carefully. It wasn't perfect, but it would perhaps be enough to fool Elsa and her advisors. Or if they saw something wrong, it could be chalked up to something like stress or pain on Moren's part. Right now, though, this was his last chance. Did he believe for a second Moren would actually write something like this in his behalf? Probably the thanks to her for sending him back, and the insults, but not the rest. Elsa didn't know that, though. He pursed his lips. The question was how to send it swiftly. Wait. Carrier pigeon! He quickly slipped out of the library, taking the letter and going to where they kept the carrier pigeons. They were only to be used in emergency. As far as he was concerned, this constituted an emergency.

He tied the letter onto one of the birds of Arendelle, and released it out the window. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief. With luck, another would be back with Elsa's response. If not, he'd have to buy time somehow. He could figure that part out later. Right now he needed to get back to his room before he was missed. He turned with a self-satisfied and conniving smirk, then straightened his clothes and started to walk out.

"Are you insane?" Jürgen's voice suddenly said from outside the door. Hans froze.

"He is our brother," Caleb's voice answered. Hans frowned and went to the door, listening. If the brother king sounded this dark and serious, things were going to get really heated and probably a little scary. You did _not_ provoke Moren. It did not ever, ever, _ever_ , end well.

"He is our source of shame!" Jürgen snapped. Hans started, mouth dropping, and looked at the door in a mix of hurt and anger. Anger because he knew it was true, hurt because knowing it didn't make the direct statement any less painful. Transported him right back to childhood.

"What would you have me do?" Moren asked.

"Traitors die, Moren. Hans must die!" Jürgen shot.

"Kelin-Sel will take his place," Moren answered.

"Forbid him! This is Hans's crime to face up to. It's high time he took responsibility for his actions," Jürgen said.

"Do you think this is like getting him to clean a slate or getting him to mop up after he made a mess? Do you think this is getting him to take a prison sentence for stealing something from an ambassador of a neighboring nation? Ahem, Jürgen," Moren retorted. Jürgen twitched but said nothing. "This is _death_."

"This is what happens. If we let him off and word gets out, we will be accused of favoritism, rebelled against, who knows what evil would come from it? And in the center would be Hans and whole new grief and sorrow because you had to spare him!" Jürgen shot. "You are still a new king. This can't be risked!"

"He is our brother!" Moren shot.

"He is a traitor!" Jürgen shot.

Hans scowled and threw open the door. Both older brothers gasped, startled, and spun. They stiffened on seeing Hans. Hans fixed Jürgen with a murderous glare. "I find it ironic you're the one preaching about treachery, Jürgen," Hans spat, eyes flashing.

Jürgen was quiet, eyes narrowing into slits. After a moment he replied, "I would face my death with bravery if ever I committed something like this and was stupid enough to get caught. I'm no coward, Hans. Like you. You've always been a snivelling stain on the Westergaard name."

"You bastard!" Hans snapped.

"Who are you to talk, Jürgen?!" another voice demanded. The three turned. Justic. He was there now. So were the others, having heard the commotion and come to investigate.

"What have _I_ done, brother?" Jürgen practically sang in response to Justic. Hans started. What _had_ he done? Probably plenty, but the second eldest hadn't been stupid enough… Hans's thought trailed off. He hadn't been stupid enough to be caught… The youngest prince bitterly chuckled. It disturbed him how much he found himself thinking like Jürgen suddenly. Especially in regards to himself. Jürgen turned to Moren, whose eyes held a tinge of warning in them. One that probably should have been acknowledged. "Look. Hans can't even defend himself. You're right. He's our brother, but to let him off because of that would be political suicide. He may be our sibling, but as I said…" He looked scathingly back at Hans. "He is our source of shame." He turned back to Moren. "Execute him now and get this nightmare over with."

"At least you have the decency to call it a nightmare," Duach darkly said as Jürgen was passing him by. Jürgen paused, biting his tongue.

"So you _don't_ like this any more than us after all," Franz Neb added.

"Au contraire," Jürgen answered, glaring back. He looked at Moren and Mael. "Put the whelp down like the dog he is. It'll save the more deserving sibling. Though to be fair if you, Justic, offered to take Hans's place, I wouldn't complain.

Lars, Mael, darkly and bitterly chuckled. "You _are_ a bastard. It seems Hans is a good judge of character after all," he remarked.

"But not good enough," Jürgen sneered. "Which is typical of Hans. Good but Never. Good. Enough."

Hans tried to lunge at him. Duach seized Hans, holding him back. "Enough, both of you!" Moren shot. Duach threw Hans back and stepped aside. Moren's patience had reached its limit. Now it was best to get out of the way. "Hans Westergaard, you are sentenced to death!" Moren commanded

"What? Moren, you can't…" Hans began.

"Silence!" Moren roared. Hans backed up in fear.

Jürgen cringed and looked away. "About time," he murmured.

"Not so fast, Jürgen," Moren said. Jürgen froze and turned. Moren drew his sword from its sheath and threw it into Jürgen's hands. "You will be the executioner."

Frozen

Immediately shocked murmurs went through the rest of the brothers. Hans's eyes widened in stunned horror. "Moren, this is madness," Iscawin began, stepping forward.

"Back!" Moren commanded. Iscawin fell back, eyes wide in fear.

Jürgen was frozen, looking at Moren in shock. "What?" he finally asked.

"You have condemned him, brother. Therefore it is only fitting you execute him," Moren answered, standing back. "We will not interfere. Not this time." He looked at the others. "That goes for all the rest of you." Turning again back to Jürgen, he said "Have at him."

Jürgen didn't move. Nor did Hans. Suddenly Hans seemed to realize the peril he was in, as he gasped and drew his sword shakily. He had to focus. Right now he was not fighting his brother. He was fighting a deadly enemy… Not that Jürgen had ever been much of a brother to start. Or any of them for that matter. "What are you waiting for, Jürgen? For though he is our brother, he is our source of shame," Justic darkly said to Jürgen.

"It seems history repeats itself in you, brother…" Mael murmured almost inaudibly to Hans. Hans tensed up, feeling beads of sweat forming.

"A trial by sword. Hans dies or Jürgen yields. Should Hans be victorious, he lives, and none of you will ever question my judgement so grossly again," Moren declared. The other brothers quailed, cringing and backing a little ways away.

Jürgen shifted, scoffed, then said, "Fine. I have beaten, humiliated, taunted, and tortured this little brat in the worst ways. Killing him will be my pleasure. A trial by sword it is." He suddenly lunged, blade drawn, and slashed at Hans. Neatly Hans parried it and swung at him quickly and determinedly. He would kill Jürgen if he had to! He would kill him! He'd be doing everyone a favor! Hans and Jürgen danced back and forth in a frenzy of clashing and flashing and singing swords, desperately fighting one another to get the upper hand. Well, Hans was desperately fighting. Jürgen had a good 14 years of experience on him, though. That he could think he may have stood a chance was foolishness and arrogance to the highest degree. He knew Jürgen was playing a game. Hans was one of the best fighters of the thirteen brothers, somewhere in the top five… Unfortunately Jürgen was in the top three. Enough said.

Hans leapt back as a slash nearly cut his stomach open. This couldn't be happening, this couldn't be happening! "You're crazy!" he freaked at his brother.

"Stand still and die!" Jürgen yelled. Hans ducked, barely ducked, under another slash. He lunged upwards and drove his sword into Jürgen's thigh! Jürgen screamed in pain and fell immediately back, eyes wide.

"Jürgen!" Calcas gasped, trying to move to his sibling. Franz put a restraining hand on his brother's shoulder and gravely shook his head. This was how a trial by sword worked. They had no place interfering.

Jürgen held the wound in shock and look up in disbelief. This little twerp had actually landed a _hit_ on him. Wow he was out of practice… Or Hans had improved greatly since last he'd fought him. When _had_ he last fought him? God that must have been five years ago. Wow. He hadn't thought it was so long. Hans lunged. Jürgen dove to the side, rolling. He stood quickly up and charged. Hans blocked the first strike. Jürgen seized his wrist and spun Hans around, quickly tripping him and getting his baby brother on the ground. Without a moment's hesitation he took his sword and he drove it down. His intention was to pierce the heart for an instantly fatal blow. Hans was swift, though, and moved just enough. The sword instead buried itself in his midsection! Hans shrieked in pain, doubling up.

"Hans!" Coth cried out, trying to lunge. Quickly Iscawin held him back.

"No, we can't," he whispered in reminder. They had no place in this now… As much as they wanted to…

Hans's shriek startled Jürgen, shock springing to the elder brother's eyes as if he couldn't believe what had actually happened. Hans seized the blade and pushed the sword out of himself, and action that sliced his hands horribly, and stumbled out of the way. Staggered. Staggered like a dying insect impaled with a thorn, fighting to live another hour, another day, another minute…

Jürgen watched after his brother in shock. Hans backed himself against a wall and choked in pain, covering the injury and trying to stop the blood.

 _His brother had stabbed him. His brother had stabbed him. His brother had actually stabbed him with intent to kill…_

Numbly the youngest prince looked down at the injury, then up at his brother in shock and disbelief. He…he'd actually done it… "You win, Jürgen. What are you waiting for?" Moren's stoic and cold voice said. "His execution is at hand."

Jürgen didn't move. To his _own_ surprise, in fact, he didn't move. Just looked wide eyed at the thirteenth prince.

 _Suffering eyes, so much blood, such pain…_

Hans choked out a cough and cried out in pain again, leaning his head back against the wall. Oh god, he was dying, Hans realized. He was going to die! Hmm… Now that he was thinking about it, it seemed much more peaceful than he had thought it would be. Beautiful, in a tragic sort of way. His eyes flickered open. They had closed? He scowled darkly at Jürgen, who had yet to move. Finally, though, the other approached, swinging his sword in a circle. Oh how Hans hated him. He could have spat at the man. Spat at all of them. Most of all he wanted to spit at Moren, though. For being weak enough to back down from his values to appease _this_ creep. Moren was always weak like that. He thought he could be king? Hah!

"This ends now, Hans," Jürgen said, drawing back his sword to go for a final stab. But he hesitated. This brother was weak too, Hans told himself. Though he knew that wasn't so. After all, he had to admit a grudging respect. Jürgen was the only sibling who had had the guts to pull something like this off.

"Thank you," Hans gasped out. Barely. Jürgen paused. "Thank you for proving to me beyond all doubt that everything I believed about you and them was true. Thank you for showing me just how much the life of a sibling is worth to the Princes of the Southern Isles! I could have killed you all in your sleep and no one would have even despised me for it," he sneered scathingly. "If only I'd known then what I do now, huh Jürgen?" Jürgen was silent. Hans closed his eyes, offering his throat. "Get it done. I'll meet you all in hell. We can burn together. Doesn't that sound like ' _fun'_?" Coldly he laughed. The laugh, though, became choking gasps. Oh god, it hurt so badly…

Frozen

Jürgen was pale. The others were watching. Waiting. There were tears in the eyes of some, in others no expressions whatsoever. Jürgen took a breath. One strike. That was all it would take. He moved to drive the sword through Hans's neck, but suddenly he stopped, the sword tip literally against the youngest brother's throat. He willed himself to finish it, he wanted to finish it so badly. Oh it would be so, so easy to end his brother's life… But he couldn't… He suddenly gasped back a sob, pulling the sword away and looking down at Hans. Hans's eyes flickered weakly open. He processed what this meant. The other didn't have it in him. Pathetic. Bitterly Hans shook his head then went limp as darkness came. Jürgen caught the other in his arms automatically, not by choice. He looked at Hans a long moment. "Get him help," he suddenly said to his own disgust. What was he doing? None of the others moved. "Get him help!" he roared at them viciously.

Mael stepped forward. Historian, torturer, and doctor. Torturer and doctor… Ironic, wasn't it? He bent, scooping Hans up into his arms and bringing him away. The others followed until only Jürgen and Moren were left. "Not so easy, is it brother?" Moren questioned.

"You knew," Jürgen hissed. "You knew I wouldn't."

"No… In fact for a moment I genuinely thought you would…" Moren answered. He looked at Jürgen. "You and Hans believe, and many of the others, that it is valiant to take a man's life and cowardice to stop… Tell me, Jürgen. What was harder to do? Take it or spare it?"

Jürgen was quiet, looking at his sibling. "Take it," he defiantly answered. Was it really, though?

"I could sentence you to death here and now, for not carrying it out. Here, sparing the life of one set to die by a trial of swords means that the one who spared him must take the criminal's place. You know that," Moren answered. "You know and knew that by law you should die…" Jürgen was quiet. It would have been so easy to take his sibling's life... Taking it had not been what he had balked at… Or maybe in part it had been?

"If I die I die," Jürgen finally answered, quickly walking away from the eldest sibling.


	6. Royal Banquet

Royal Banquet

Dancing had begun. Many a young woman clambered for the attention of the thirteen princes, most of which were either still single or widowers by now. For what reason so many were single or not remarried already Anna couldn't fathom. She'd have thought every one of them would be off the market by now. Most seemed really nice, but then so had Hans at the time. Her grin fell to a more cautious look. She wasn't sure what to make of Hans's brothers. She didn't trust them fully, though part of her wanted to, but she felt a sort of darkness coming from them. It was apparent Elsa felt it too, because Elsa had been treading very carefully and suspiciously around them. The question was, was that darkness a threat to them, or was it more a threat to the princes themselves? Maybe it was both. They seemed unpredictable and gave off an ever changing vibe that didn't sit well with her. She wondered if that was the vibe that Elsa had gotten from Hans when she'd first seen him.

The princes spun around the dance floor, each one with a woman on the arm. They danced amazingly. Every bit as good as Hans. Anna ached to dance too, but Kristoff wasn't great at dancing and avoided it like the plague for fear of making a fool of himself. The most amazing thing was that it was the triplets providing the music and singing loudly, boldly, voices echoing and beautiful and strong and just… wow… They even played instruments, when there was no court lady to hold. There was laughing and mirth. Oh Anna wanted so badly to be out there.

Kristoff, watching her, realized how much she desired to join the dance. He cringed and bowed his head, falling back. He wished he could oblige her but he couldn't. He just… he wasn't exactly graceful. Nor would he ever be. "Princess Anna, dance with me!" Coth called out to her, spinning away from the woman dancing with him and offering his hand. Anna grinned widely. Kristoff clenched his fists and jaw jealously. Anna took his hand and squealed in delight as Coth pulled her onto the dance floor and rejoined his brothers in song. Anna beamed up at him.

Kristoff glanced away sadly. "If I could dance, _I_ would be with her," he remarked to Elsa.

"Maybe they'll give lessons," Elsa offered, unsure what else to say to make him feel better.

"Yeah right," Kristoff said with a sigh. He hadn't exactly been doing a great job making friends with the Princes. Oh he'd be a horrible ruler. Here was hoping nothing happened to Elsa so Anna wouldn't have to ascend to the throne with him at her side. He'd end up destroying Arendelle forever.

"Hey, you've got to have more confidence in yourself," Elsa said, smiling sympathetically at him. He cringed and nodded. Oh how he knew it. He watched Anna whispering to Coth and pointing at him. Coth glanced over and smirked conspiratorially. Kristoff suddenly felt very self-conscious. Suddenly the triplets danced away from the women who were their partners and seized Kristoff, pulling him onto the dance floor with him protesting loudly. This was Anna's doing, he knew it was! Anna was laughing and clapping gleefully as the triplets surrounded Kristoff and her. Anna grinned up at her fiancé adoringly and took his hands.

"Just do what I do," she said with a giggle.

"Anna, I can't…" Kristoff began.

"Yes you can!" Anna said, making him dance however poorly. The triplets, surrounding them, called out tips and on occasion took over Kristoff's place with Anna, demonstrating some of the steps to him. Kristoff was by no means graceful, but at least he was kind of getting into something of a rhythm that made him step on Anna's feet less.

Elsa grinned widely, watching the scene in amusement. Part of her wanted to go out there too, but like Kristoff she had an aversion to dancing. Not because she was bad at it—papa had often danced with her in the ballroom when she was little and had taught her—but because it involved holding hands, and nothing frightened her more than the possibility one of her partners would end up frozen if she ever danced with any of them. Granted she knew, kind of, how to thaw them now, but still. Not exactly a great first impression on a man.

"Queen Elsa, if you would honor me with this dance," Iscawin said to her suddenly. She glanced over at him, surprised at his sudden appearance. He was smiling hopefully at her and blushing faintly.

"Oh, thank you, but I don't dance," she replied.

"Now is as good a time as any to try," Iscawin said with a casual wink, regaining a bit of confidence. He was as smooth as Hans had been, Elsa noted. Or could be. He lacked much of Hans's confidence, but he managed. She hesitated. Did she really want to risk it? No. She didn't. She was about to deny him when suddenly he took her hands with a laugh, pulling her out onto the floor.

"Iscawin, I can't!" she exclaimed in fear. She felt her powers coming to light, reacting to that fear and uncertainty.

"This is your banquet, Queen Elsa. Enjoy it!" Iscawin replied. "I saw you wanted to dance."

"No, you don't understand!" Elsa exclaimed frantically. Iscawin winked as the partners switched off. She found herself in Mael's hands now. "You have to let me go, I can't dance, I won't!" she insisted. "I…" she trailed off as she met his eyes, boring into hers coldly, dangerously. She felt a shiver of anticipation. Or of fear. Or of both. He was scanning her. Reading her. "I have to go," she hollowly said.

He looked down at her gloved hands casually, then back up at her. "Relax. Breathe," he said calmly to her in his deep and freakily soothing yet terrifying voice. "You're afraid. Don't be. If there is no fear, there is no danger."

She felt herself relaxing and tilted her head curiously, eyes narrowing suspiciously and quizzically at him. "What are you talking about?" she asked, suddenly feeling very uneasy.

"If there is no fear, there is no danger," he repeated again. "Let only joy and comfort come to you. No harm will come of that." He spun her around and let go. Suddenly she was back with Iscawin and blinking blankly. Whoa. What had just _happened_? Suddenly the feeling of her powers rising was gone.

"Are you alright, Queen Elsa?" Iscawin questioned. Elsa blinked a couple of times and looked up at him. Enjoy, don't fear. Enjoy. Enjoy. She could do this. Yeah. She smiled up at him, willing herself to relax.

"I'm fine," she answered. "This is actually kind of fun."

Iscawin grinned. "I had hoped you would begin to enjoy it!" he said. "I knew you wanted to dance."

"Yes. I did," she admitted as they moved around the room gracefully.

Frozen

Franz, laughing loudly and blatantly flirting with every woman lucky enough to find herself in his arms, switched partners when the time came. He spun and started, finding himself with Anna. He was pleasantly surprised. "Princess," he said. "Enjoying yourself?"

"More than you know!" Anna excitedly and breathlessly said. She laughed in glee as Franz grinned mischievously and spun her around even quicker. Soon she was screaming with laughter and excitement. "This is so amazing!" she exclaimed in delight, holding his shoulders as she willed away the dizziness from all the times he'd spun her around. His movements were as erratic as hers and she loved it! They moved in perfect harmony. Her smile fell. Like she'd thought she and Hans had… But in retrospect she realized, now, that he had struggled to keep up with some of her more unpredictable movements. That problem wasn't present with Franz Neb. In fact, she found herself having trouble keeping up to _his_ motions at times. He had to be the best dancer of the bunch so far! The dance floor seemed to buzz by in a blur.

Franz laughed. "Glad to oblige you, my lady," he said. He spun her off, her giving a surprised squeal, to another partner. He took on another lady and began blatantly flirting with the new partner.

Anna blinked up and realized she was in Rhun's arms. She grinned. "Hey. Oh wow you're pretty," she said, still dizzy. She shook her head. "Wait, did I say that out loud? Uh, sorry! I-I just, you know, usually not a fan of glasses or facial hair separately let alone together, and you have both, and you really pull it off well and suddenly I'm not so against them and, uh, I'll shut up now."

Rhun looked amused. "Franz got to you," he deduced. "He has that flustering effect on women. Combination of his sweet talk and the spinning for some reason or another." Anna blushed slightly. Rhun chuckled. "I taught him everything he knows," he said with a wink. Anna gave a squeal as Rhun suddenly picked up the pace and moved around with her quickly. "The student surpassed the master, but I still have a few tricks," he laughed, seeing Anna's delight and excitement.

"Wow, you guys are nothing like Hans," Anna said.

Rhun's smirk fell briefly before reappearing again to a more rueful look. "Princess, I wish I could agree with you," he admitted. Anna tilted her head, frowning in confusion. "Blood is blood," Rhun cryptically explained, smirking at her. He picked her up, spinning her in the air. She squealed in delight, forgetting her qualms. Rhun handed her quickly off to Kristoff, who was appearing more and more agitated the more often he saw partners that shamed his ability dancing with Anna. Anna blinked up at Kristoff in surprise then grinned, suddenly stealing a kiss from him as they danced.

"This is the best banquet ever!" she exclaimed. "You know why?"

"Because the partners are really good?" Kristoff asked, confused.

"No, silly, because this time I get to dance with _you_ ," Anna replied, smiling up at him. Kristoff blushed brightly then began grinning like an idiot, dancing with Anna eagerly.

Frozen

Elsa, laughing with Iscawin, gave a gasp as she was spun to another partner. She felt her hands taken in a firm grasp and looked up. Duach. She grinned at him. He started, seemingly taken aback by her grin, and smirked slightly shyly. "I didn't peg you for a timid type," she said.

He blushed faintly, "I'm not," he muttered gruffly. "Just… Kind of don't have a lot of time for women so haven't really, well, spent much time with them. I mean I got married, but... I'm not with her as much as I'd like."

"Why?" she questioned.

"I'm a warrior, my queen," he ruefully said, smirking dryly. "In fact, I'm the General of the Southern Isles army. Moren appointed me to the position after an incident in which a village was nearly pillaged and burned to the ground under the order of the old General. Who had said to kill the men and boys and do what we wanted with the women and girls. At which point I… I killed him… Knew I'd be tried as a traitor and executed, but dammed if I had let that happen to those people. I ordered the army away from the place. They were beaten already. Our objective was complete, the attack put down. We didn't need to rape—um, forgive my language, my lady, again, kind of not used to these things—the village too. On our way back we were attacked and probably would have been slaughtered if I hadn't taken charge. The attack was soundly and thoroughly put down and we continued home."

"Were you tried?" Elsa questioned, now intrigued.

"Yes," Duach admitted.

"And?" she asked.

Duach was quiet. After a moment he sighed through the nose, bowing his head. "Sentence was death. Still is," he answered. She started, eyes widening. Duach smirked at her. "I was sentenced to die by the curse of time or sickness," he said, winking at her. "Moren's orders. I got a good bit of leniency because I spared the village and put down the attacking force that would have slaughtered our battalion. Moren couldn't acquit me, so he and Justic dug up a loophole. Still don't know what it was."

"Why couldn't he have done that for Hans?" Elsa questioned.

"Ask Justic," Duach answered, smirking and spinning her off to just that brother.

Elsa blinked up at Justic. Justic started then looked pleasantly surprised. "Well, I didn't expect to be honored by this," he said.

She grinned approvingly at him. "You're cute, I'll give you that," she said as he spun her around. Justic laughed. "Duach was saying something about being sentenced to die and a loophole," she remarked.

Justic cringed. "Aye," he admitted.

"What loophole saved him? Why wasn't it used for Hans?" she questioned.

"The loophole that saved Duach was a plea for forgiveness from the involved parties. The battalion owed their lives to him. They spoke in his defense. So did the village he spared. So did the relatives of the murdered General. The Council and Advisors were vehemently against that and pressed and pressed and pressed Moren to make him cave in and order the execution regardless. They said Duach needed to pay for murdering his commanding officer. Moren shouted at them that there was no commanding officer that would ever rank higher than a prince. He said that if they wished for Duach's death, so be it. He turned to Duach and told him that he sentenced him to die. Execution by time or disease," Justic said. He trailed off and smirked, chuckling. "Oh the Advisors and the Council raged _so_ much. Duach virtually never gets sick, and when he does he more often than not fights it off on his own. They came to me, demanding I tell Moren such a thing was not possible by law. They came to me because I'm the most knowledgeable in laws of different lands and customs and whatnot. I told them I would have no part in their game and that whatever the king said went. They had no power over Moren's decisions and if they defied me, they would be the ones accused of treachery and coercion. The Prince superseded a General, plain as that. If Duach had decided to execute the man, it was within his rights to do it. I told them the only reason we had agreed to try and sentence him was to make them happy and because, well, Duac wanted us to. Otherwise we would have let him off without issue," Justic said.

"He _wanted_ to be tried?" Elsa asked in surprise.

"Duach is a man of honor. A jerk, a creep, a bully, but a man of honor at the end of the day. It means everything to him. That he had killed his General tore him up on the inside and he felt that it was only fair he be tried and sentenced according to the laws of the land. We had tried to talk him out of it, but he was steadfast, so Moren allowed the trial to go on," Justic said. "Besides, we didn't exactly want the people to think favoritism was at play. Moren was—and still is—new to power and now the throne. Not that that helped much, given Duac's death sentence wasn't exactly ideal," Justic said. "The reason that loophole wouldn't work with Hans is because it was royalty that accused him and there was no one to speak in his defense. Those who had been betrayed by him—you and your sister—weren't likely to plead for his life, we knew that."

"We might have," Elsa defended.

"Would you have, my queen?" Justic asked. Elsa was silent. No. No, she wouldn't.

She bowed he head. "I'm sorry…" she murmured.

"No, it's alright… It was—and will be—a fair sentence…" Justic murmured, glancing towards where Hans was dancing with one of the court ladies and turning on the charm.

"But still…" Elsa began.

"Let's… not talk about it. Please," Justic said. "He would be dead now if you hadn't delayed the trial and had it moved here. That's all we need to know. Thank you for that mercy, even if it's only temporary."

"He…" she began to say. Justic spun her off quickly. She blinked, finding herself in the arms of another. She blinked. Kelin-Sel.

"He what?" Kelin-Sel questioned.

"Have you been listening in?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kelin-Sel smirked. "You intrigue me," he admitted. She blushed and smirked. "Please, my lady, I will continue where Justic left off. What was it you were about to ask?"

Elsa cringed. "He seems to believe you all hate him," she admitted.

Kelin-Sel's smirk fell to a more solemn look, and he gazed at the ground a moment. Recovering, he looked back up at her with a smile. "Grim talk, for a party," he said.

"Yes, but… I'm curious," she admitted.

A rueful look came to Kelin-Sel's eyes. "Believe me, I am too," he admitted. "We all are. Not only regarding Hans, but regarding each other. There's… a rift there, between us… There has been for a very, very, very long time. It may never be mended. Hans just… took it more to heart than most of us. I guess he believed he got it worst of all, being the youngest… And to be fair, we were cruel to him, my queen. Sometimes very, very, _very_ cruel."

She looked sympathetic. "Enough to make him believe you hated him?" she asked.

"We _did_ hate him," Kelin-Sel admitted. "We hated each other too. We _all_ hated each other. Even to the point of torture and murder… Or maybe it wasn't so much we hated each other as it was we resented and didn't trust. We still don't…"

"You're brothers," Elsa said.

"Sometimes that isn't enough," Kelin-Sel said sadly. Elsa cringed. She wondered if Anna had ever felt hated by her? She hated, most of all, to think that some wounds between siblings couldn't be fixed. Not easily, if at all.

"Why?" she asked.

"It's… not talk for a banquet. Or for anyone's ears but our own," Kelin-Sel said. "Bad, bad things happened to us in the past, Queen Elsa. Very bad things… Most of us just gave up… And I try, I really do. I… I want us to be a family again… But it's hard to be the only one fighting a war. I feel as though I'm one against an endless number. Hans sees my attempts as false, the elder ones see them as naïve and annoying. I fight, they resist and crush… I don't think it will ever fully heal, your majesty… But I'm glad we all are still alive and can at least tolerate each other enough to live under the same roof. Albeit it's a massive roof in which we hardly run into each other. One roof, nonetheless."

"Why are you all still together?" she questioned. "If things are that bad?"

Kelin-Sel smirked dryly. "Because we need each other… We need each other to survive," he said. Her eyes widened in surprise. Before she could press, though, he had spun her off to yet another partner.

Frozen

Anna had spun from Kristoff and now was in another of the princes' arms. She blinked up at him and blushed deeply. One of the most gorgeous ones! Jürgen, she recalled his name being. He danced around with her, jumping along with the quick music and the singing of the triplets. He seemed lost in thought. "Hey, what's on your mind?" she wondered.

He blinked and looked down at her, noticing for the first time who was in his arms. He smirked wickedly at her. "The sea," he answered.

"You like the sea?" she questioned, eyes wide.

"You have no idea," he replied.

"Oh, nice. Uh, so, enjoying the party?" Anna asked.

Jürgen laughed. "Why so awkward, my princess? Have you heard horror stories?" he asked.

"Um, well, when I was dancing with Justic after Elsa did…" Anna began.

Jürgen scowled. So darkly, in fact, that Anna was taken aback. "Say no more," he bitterly said, glaring over at Justic.

"Ow! Easy on the grip," she said.

He snapped back to himself and loosened his hold. He sighed. "Forgive me, princess. My brother and I aren't… on the best of terms, putting it mildly," he said.

"Really? Why?" Anna questioned.

"Because he knows more than he should," Jürgen cryptically answered.

"Huh?" Anna questioned.

"Never mind, my lady. It's between us," Jürgen said.

"O-kay?" Anna said, raising an eyebrow curiously. She brightened up. "So, what do you think so far? That was kind of a genuine question."

Jürgen smirked. "So far I've had fun. A good deal of it."

"You don't seem too enthusiastic," she remarked.

"These sorts of parties aren't exactly my cup of tea," Jürgen said.

Anna smirked. "You sound like Kristoff," she remarked.

Jürgen chuckled. "Good man," he remarked.

"He is," Anna said, blushing brightly.

Jürgen smirked. "You're very happy with him," he noted.

"You bet I am!" Anna exclaimed, grinning widely. Her grin fell to a sadder look. "Just like I thought I was happy with Hans…"

Jürgen was quiet. After a moment he said, "Hans is a chameleon. You can't blame yourself for falling for his deceits… We're all chameleons in our own ways."

"Philosophical," Anna remarked.

"No, I'm not talking about people in general. I'm talking about us. The princes of the Southern Isles," he said. Anna's smile fell to a look of uncertainty and mistrust. He chuckled. "Don't fear, my lady. We have no plot against you."

"If you're a chameleon too, how do I know you're not lying?" Anna asked.

Jürgen grinned. "Hans's treachery was good for you. You've gotten smarter and more suspicious. Always remember that if something it too good to be true, it usually is. That's Hans's greatest weakness. The weakness of any borderline sociopath, actually," he said. At least, as far as _he_ was concerned that's what Hans was, but he was probably being biased. "They make themselves too good to be true."

Anna cringed the smiled again, nodding. "Yeah. I learned my lesson," she said.

"More or less," Jürgen said. "Don't convince yourself of that, though. There's always another more dangerous threat lurking. One you may think you're prepared for but really aren't," Jürgen said.

"You sound like you've been in that situation," Anna remarked.

Jürgen was quiet, looking to the side. Finally he turned back. "More than I would care to admit," he answered. "You're never prepared for everything life throws at you. The best you can do is adapt… We've got that down well, all of us princes… Especially Hans… He kind of had to, to survive."

"So… he was right, then? Telling the truth? You…" Anna began.

"None of us are in line for a brother of the year award. Not even Hans, as much as he would like to think he was the victim in it all. Hah! As if in a family of thirteen brothers he'd be the only one treated like trash… Every son after Calcas was a mistake that was to be disposed of. At least in the eyes of our aunt, later step-mother. Mother tried not to show favoritism, but she did on occasion. Half the time she forgot any of us after Calcas existed. Until Hans. And then she focused all attention on him and it was like none of _us_ existed. She always remembered eventually, though, and over compensated to try to make up for it. Not that she can be blamed. She was… She was getting very sick around that time… She could hardly remember our names by the time of Iscawin's birth. Any of us. We didn't know why. We still don't… She finally… Hans killed her…"

Anna paled. "What?" she breathed fearfully.

"Not… like that… It was…" Jurgen began. He trailed off and sighed. "Mother was the one person Hans _didn't_ want dead in our family, and in his wildest dreams he couldn't have hoped to hurt her… But he killed our mother nonetheless, and he knows he did. He hated himself for it. _We_ hated him for it… We hated him for a lot… Of course, we hated most of the younger ones…"

"Hate is a strong…" Anna began sympathetically.

"We _hated_ each other. All of us. And that term isn't even strong enough to describe it," Jürgen firmly said. "If not for the fact we needed one another to stay alive near the end, I guarantee you about half of us wouldn't be here today. Definitely not Kelin-Sel, Iscawin, and Hans. Probably not Justic either, but… that's a personal issue between me and him."

"Do you still?" Anna uncertainly asked, not sure if she wanted an answer. Jürgen was quiet. "Um, Jürgen?" she asked.

Jürgen, after a moment, looked back at her. "There was a time, even until just recently, that I would have said yes… I don't know, anymore."

"Why not?" Anna asked.

"Because when I was given the opportunity to kill Hans, I couldn't do it," Jürgen answered. Anna's eyes widened. Jürgen quickly spun her away before she could pry deeper.

Frozen

Elsa found herself in Moren's arms soon enough. "You told me you didn't dance," he remarked to her, smiling cordially.

"I… kind of was convinced," she replied, sheepishly smiling at him. "Besides, it's proved most enlightening."

"Ah, they've been sharing dark talk with you," Moren ruefully said.

"Well, not so much sharing as I pried. A little," Elsa admitted, blushing.

"I'm sorry if such subjects have made the banquet a little less than fun," Moren said. "My brothers do not know when to hold their tongues."

"It seems you hold yours too much," Elsa teased, smirking. Moren looked divided as to whether to feel ashamed or amused. "Sorry, if that was out of line."

"It's fine," Moren answered. "You're right. It seems I hold my tongue whenever I shouldn't."

"What can you share, your majesty?" Elsa questioned.

"It depends on what you want the topic to be," Moren answered.

"Your home life," she answered.

"That's… a topic best left not delved into," Moren answered.

"You and your brothers…" she began.

"They are not my brothers… They shared the womb of my mother. Our relationship doesn't go much farther than that," Moren said.

"But…" she pressed.

He smiled ruefully. "But I want them to be. We have… been working at it. Of course every time we have in the past it has always failed."

"But you keep trying," Elsa pointed out.

Moren smirked. "Yes. I suppose that accounts for something," he said. His smile fell. "Unfortunately, not all of us are willing to keep trying… Many have given up or have stopped caring. Perhaps many of us never _did_ care."

"Do they know you want to fix it as badly as _they_ once did?" Elsa questioned. Moren raised an eyebrow. He… actually hadn't looked at it that way before. Elsa smiled, spinning. "The letter you wrote in Hans's behalf. It was very touching," she remarked.

"Yes," Moren vaguely replied.

"Maybe if you had shown it to him…" she began.

"Do not concern yourself over it, my lady," Moren said.

"I'm a little puzzled at something, though," she said.

"And that is…?" Moren fished.

"In the first letter, where you pled for his life, there were a good number of pretty cruel remarks tossed in about him. In the second one you sent, the thank you, it was crueller to yourself than to him," Elsa remarked.

Moren was quiet. She looked curiously at him, tilting her head. Finally Moren sighed. "That's because Hans's idea of my view on him in comparison to my own is off," he answered.

"Hans's?" she questioned.

Moren chuckled, smirking. "It was Hans that wrote the first letter," he said, winking. She started, blanching. "Not to say I wouldn't have, but he beat me to it. My baby brother is good at copying writing styles, for the most part, but characterizing those who write the letters isn't easy for him when those people he is copying are his brothers. His views are a little off."

"Wait, you…" Elsa began. Moren laughed good-naturedly and spun her away to another partner. When the next caught her, though, and she turned to face him, her expression turned to one of shock, then horror and appal. Hans!

Frozen

Hans blinked a few times, just as shocked as Elsa was. He resisted the urge to jerk away from her defiantly. " _You_ wrote that first letter?" she said to him.

"I had to save my brother," Hans answered, shrugging. "Been accused of being the cause of more than enough family members' deaths as it is." Namely his mother… And certain others… "More importantly, I had to save _myself_. It wasn't as if I could rely on _them_ to do it." He smirked casually at her. "Queen Elsa, you dance beautifully," he remarked, forcing on his cordial mask. The one he'd worn for Anna.

"Thanks," she cautiously and suspiciously replied, raising an eyebrow at him. "What's with the nice guy act?"

Hans grimaced. "Moren ordered best behavior," he answered, shrugging.

"Well drop the mask, Prince Hans. I know what you are," Elsa coldly said.

"Oh do you now?" Hans questioned. "Please inform me, because _I_ don't even know anymore."

"You are a lying, deceiving…" she began.

"Same thing, your majesty," he said, smirking cockily.

"Snake!" she finished, eyes flashing dangerously. "You are a traitor and a murderer."

"I don't recall killing anyone," he innocently said.

He was playing a game with her, she realized. She almost hated herself for participating. "You would have!" she snapped.

"At that point you were willing to welcome it," he bit. "It would have been a mercy."

"I thought my sister was _dead_! And you… you killed her. I know that now. You killed her," Elsa dangerously said.

"It must be her ghost I see dancing there, then," Hans said, tossing his head in Anna's direction.

"You know what I mean," she coldly said, not turning from his gaze.

"Look, your majesty, I'm no happier about my being here than you are," he bit, glaring equally icily at her, eyes dangerously smouldering.

"Oh you are a piece of work," she said as he spun her around.

"Guilty as charged," Hans sang out.

"Clichéd much?" she asked.

"Oh I'm just getting warmed up," Hans replied, picking her up and spinning her around before setting her down again. "Besides, given how into the cliché thing your sister was when it came to romance, I figured you might have something of that in you."

"Well you're wrong," Elsa answered.

"That's refreshing," Hans said, rolling his eyes.

"You don't believe me," she said with a cold and disdainful smirk as she was turned to face him again.

He met her smirk with an equally cold and condescending one. "What's your back story, my queen? Powers out of thin air when neither of your parents had them? Fearful of the monster you believed you were?" he asked.

"For your information my aunt had these powers!" Elsa shot sharply. "And as to my fear, that isn't any of your business. Now behave, Prince Hans, or big brother will get angry."

"Bite me," Hans shot. "Moren can rage all he wants to. I don't have to take this lip from you!"

"And you expect _me_ to?" she hummed.

Hans scowled before forcing himself to put on the cordial mask again. He closed his eyes, willing back his annoyance, then smirked impersonally at her. "All right, let's start over."

"Fine," Elsa said.

"Fine," Hans repeated.

"Fine!" Elsa shot, eyes narrowing.

"Fi… You know what, ugh!" Hans said. "Okay, starting over. You dance beautifully, my queen."

"Thank you, Admiral Westergaard," Elsa replied, bowing her head courteously. "You're not so bad yourself."

"Thank you. I learned from…" Hans began. He trailed off. Elsa raised an eyebrow. Hans bitterly chuckled. Not at her, but at himself and what he had been about to say. "I learned from my brother, Franz," he dryly said. "One of the few decent things I learned from him."

"You know what, I don't think your brothers deserve your hate. They seem perfectly nice," Elsa said.

"You know what, I don't think you should talk about things you don't know anything about," Hans retorted.

"About things I don't know about? With all due 'respect', Prince Hans, from what I've seen, _you're_ the one who doesn't know your own family," Elsa said

"Like any of us know each other," Hans replied as they walked forward together in time with the music. "But I will promise you I know them better than you ever could hope to! Frankly, they're as much chameleons as I am if not more."

"What are you saying?" Elsa questioned.

"Be careful about the political deal you make with Moren, my 'queen'. It might end up being the last mistake you ever make," Hans bit.

"You admit to being a chameleon as well, so how do I know you're even speaking truth?" she bantered back, smirking triumphantly.

"A good point," Hans said. "But how do you know _they're_ not the ones playing you this time?"

"I just won't trust _any_ of you, then," she retorted as he dipped her.

"Welcome to my life. You been here long?" Hans questioned, smirking victoriously at her. She started, blinking. Had he just won? With a _cliché_? Oh she didn't think so!

Frozen

The song ended and Elsa pulled away from him. "Thank you for the dance, Prince Hans," she said impersonally, folding her hands down in front of her and nodding. "Of course, for you does the dance ever end?"

Hans laughed coldly. "Oh you're good, you're very good," he said, waggling his finger. They were unaware of it, but eyes were starting to turn curiously and guardedly. She turned up her nose and turned her back on him, starting off. This was over. She didn't want to be near him anymore. "You know, you have a lot in common with my older brothers!" Hans called after her. She froze, eyes flashing, and turned dangerously.

"What are you getting at?" she questioned, voice as chilly as a blizzard.

"Nothing, just an observation," Hans replied.

"Pray tell you share it with me," she said, returning to him.

"We're done here," he said, turning away from her.

"That's an order, Prince Hans," she dangerously said.

Hans paused, eyes blazing suddenly and brightly. He scowled darkly and turned back. She met his gaze with equal intensity. "I don't think you want to know," he answered.

"I gave you an order," she said.

"An order? You think you can give _me_ orders?" he asked.

"You are on _my_ land," she said.

Hans was silent. Finally he coldly smirked. "Fine. If you really want to know. You're like them in that every time your baby sister wanted you, you walked away. Every time she needed you, you were never there. Every time she _begged_ you through tears, you turned your back or scoffed and left," he said.

Elsa was scowling now. "I did it to protect her," she hissed through clenched teeth.

"She never wanted a protector, Elsa! She wanted a brother, sister!" he corrected quickly.

"How dare you play at trying to defend my sister after everything you did to hurt her?! I want you to leave," she said. And hopefully she wouldn't see him again until he was tried in her court.

"Oh I'm sure she heard that many, many, _many_ times. _I_ certainly did, so this is nothing new. Good day, ice maiden," Hans said.

Oh she wanted to rip his eyes out. "I did it to protect my sister! Maybe they did it because they couldn't _stand_ you!" she shot.

"Old news to me, Elsa," he called back, waving his hand dismissively. "It was a thirteen way street."

"All you have ever done is hurt people!" Elsa shouted after him.

"And your track record is so much better," Hans replied, spinning on her again. By now all eyes were on them.

"Get out!" she screamed, pointing at the door.

" _You_ killed your sister!" Hans shouted, pointing at Anna. "That much at least was never a lie! _You_ killed her, _not_ me! _You_ , Elsa, _you_! Maybe if you'd been a sister rather than a protector, you might have actually done something right."

Elsa was livid, shaking in rage. Hans scoffed and turned to walk away again. "I know why your mother died," she suddenly hissed.

Hans froze, stiffening. After a moment he turned murderously. "Now would be a good time to hold your tongue," Hans growled threateningly.

"I know why she died," Elsa sneered. "She dreamt of the future, and she saw what her youngest child would become. She saw, and she died because she couldn't bear the shame of bringing a monster like _you_ into this world!"

Hans gaped in shock, starting back as pain flashed briefly to his eyes. Unbridled. Raw. Open. He couldn't remember the last time he had heard words that cutting. Not even from Jürgen at his worst. Well, maybe that was an exaggeration. He got the feeling he had heard it before, but he couldn't remember. Maybe he had blanked it out because the one who had said it had been one he had trusted and perhaps even loved, and to hear it from their mouth was too traumatic to handle. Pain, however, quickly became rage. Unconcealed and open and murderous rage.

"Y-You…" he began, sputtering, unable to find words. "You _whore_!" he freaked, suddenly lunging. She gasped as he seized her around the throat. Tackled, more like it, because he had sent them both crashing to the ground, his hands wrapped so tightly around her neck that she was strangling in less than a second and feeling her voice box being crushed.

Frozen

"Hans!" Franz cried out in horror from somewhere in the back of his mind.

"Elsa, no!" Anna's shriek rang out. Elsa was hardly aware of it. "Stop it, stop it!"

Both of them were vaguely aware of hands trying to pry Hans off of her. She almost hoped they would fail so with her last breath she could impale him with an ice spike and take him with her. She was suddenly aware of Hans's hands being pried off of her. He was dragged forcefully back and Elsa, coughing horribly, felt herself being lifted up to her feet.

"Arrest him!" a guard was screaming at the others as Hans continued trying to break free of what Elsa saw were literally all of his siblings. And they were all having a hard time holding him too.

"Silence!" Elsa suddenly screamed, ice flying out from all around her. Everyone leapt back and cried out in fear as snow began savagely ripping through the ballroom. "You pathetic, wretched…" she began, furiously jerking free of those holding her and storming towards him.

"Elsa, stop! You'll be the end of Arendelle!" Hans shouted at her, genuine fear in his voice. She froze, suddenly realizing what was happening around her. The whole place was being frozen and a blizzard tore through the room, ripping at everything and anything! She gasped, immediately calling back the snow and looking suddenly terrified.

"I-I…" she began.

"E-Elsa…?" Anna asked, voice breaking as tears burned her eyes. She was so worried for her sister. She reached out. Elsa gasped, pulling away, and looked at her hands. She looked back at the princes of the Southern Isles.

Elsa, heart pounding, took a breath and stood up straight. "The dancing is over. Escort Prince Hans back to his room. I will see no one today," she declared, regaining her grace. Elsa marched away alone.

"Queen Elsa, please…" Moren began.

"I said take him!" she shouted, turning and waving her hand. History repeated itself. From the moment she'd acted she knew it would, and regretted. From her fingertips shot, to her utter horror, a wall of deadly ice spikes bee lining for the thirteen Princes! She paled. No. Not again! Not again! The guests screamed in fear. The thirteen men were going to die!


	7. Past: Memory

Past: Memory

The night had passed and it was well into the next day now. Mael continued to tend to Hans gently and surely after his trial of swords with Jürgen, as was expected of a medical professional. Most of the others were tending to duties in the castle, waiting for news. Moren sat in his office dealing with kingdom affairs and dreading the evening, for in the evening a decision had to be made as to Hans's fate, and more specifically Kelin-Sel's, because Kelin-Sel would not allow Hans to die. He would take his place first. Tonight there would be an execution, because he had found no loophole to exploit to get around it. He could write to Queen Elsa. He _had_ written. Rather _one_ of his brothers had, and he suspected which one. He had determined as much on realizing a carrier pigeon was missing. Hence the reason he had not written himself. However, it meant nothing if no reply from her returned today. He heard a fluttering of wings and turned to the window. Had he the desire to, he would have cheered. Right on time. The pigeon was perched there, a letter bound to its leg. Moren rose and went to the bird, taking it inside and unclasping the message from its leg. He opened it and read, while stroking the pigeon gently.

 _King Moren Westergaard of the Southern Isles:_

 _I am sorry. I was unaware of what my actions meant for you and your brothers and how it must hurt you. Having believed I had lost Anna, I realize how painful losing your sibling could end up being for you. I did not think to realize that sending him back to you and your brothers alive would only doom him to die at your own hands. The thought never crossed my mind. For that, again, I am sorry._

 _I sent him back, for though he was wicked and dealt with my sister treacherously, his words were true. He said to me, 'Don't be the monster they fear you are.' I could not sentence him to die in my land. Not remembering those words and realizing that was just what I would become if I did; rather, how I would feel I would become. I know, now, that perhaps it would have been better for me to write you and inform you that he was to die in Arendelle rather than sending him back to sentence yourself, but part of me did not desire his death. I have experienced enough death and loss of loved ones, and to know he had twelve brothers who could feel as I had…_

 _I believe part of me hoped you would find a way around the death sentence. It seems that is not the case. For your sake and the sakes of your brothers, not Hans, I plead for his life. I do not desire his death and acquit him of that sentence, if it pleases you. However, in this case he is to return to Arendelle for trial and an alternate sentence. I will not put that burden on you and your brothers, though your input will be requested and your appearance at the trial a requirement._

 _With Deepest Respect,_

 _Queen Elsa of Arendelle_

Frozen

Moren read the letter, shaking his head. Hans. That eloquent little bastard. He dryly chuckled. The youngest prince had always been good with words, especially on paper and especially if it was creative writing. His ability to capture emotions and drive the reader to feel sympathy for even undeserving characters was uncanny. It was apparent whatever his brother had written in his name had touched Elsa's heart. He couldn't say he was upset by that. In fact, it felt as if a great weight had been lifted from him. He rose and took the pigeon, leaving his study. He looked down the hallway. Jürgen was there, sharpening his sword. The second eldest look up, frowning curiously.

"She has pardoned Hans from death, though a trial and alternate sentence is to be handed out in Arendelle.," Moren simply said. Little more explanation was needed.

Jürgen was silent, then bitterly chuckled. "Just my luck," he replied. "I may have killed a pardoned man… Not just any man either, oh no. It had to be my own brother."

Moren was quiet, watching Jürgen. He didn't understand the second eldest, but then Jürgen didn't understand him in turn. What Moren found most confusing was the fact that most of the time Jürgen _knew_ that what he did and how he acted or dealt with things was wrong and doing more harm than good. He just did them anyway in a tough—and by tough he meant Spartan—love sort of way. If love was even the word to use. Perhaps it was because his brother knew no other way. Frankly, he was surprised _he_ did. He shook his head, recalling one incident from long ago that Jürgen had told him about…

Thirteen Years Ago

"I can't believe this," 10-year-old Hans said in disgust as he stood next to a 24-year-old Jürgen. Both brothers had their arms folded and were looking away from each other sulkily. A crew was loading a ship with supplies for a sea patrol.

"It wasn't my choice to drag you along on the high seas, pest. Dad and Caleb wanted you doing something useful for once, though I doubt you'll be capable of handling this." Jürgen replied. "You've never been at sea in your life."

"No thanks to you!" Hans snapped back.

"As if I would risk bringing a child along on a sea voyage," Jürgen replied.

"I'm still a child now and you're bringing me!" Hans protested.

"I am because Caleb ordered me to," Jürgen retorted. "And I made it very, very clear to him that should you fall overboard, little brother, your blood is on his hands, not mine."

"A grab for the throne, Jürgen?" Hans purred. He yelped as Jürgen slapped him. He looked up at his big brother with eyes wide. He gasped as Jürgen knelt, painfully seizing his shoulders.

"Don't. Test me. Hans," Jürgen dangerously warned. "You may find yourself accidentally on purpose sleep walking off of the ship, understood?"

"I hate you!" Hans yelled.

"Am I supposed to care?" Jürgen asked, standing again and holding Hans's arm tightly. "Come on."

Frozen

"Whoa," Hans said, watching over the front of the ship in awe as the wind whipped back his hair. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply and grinning. He loved the smell and the feel of the ocean! He decided he liked sailing. He wanted to sail when he was older more often.

"Hans!" Jürgen called. Hans turned, frowning back, and climbed off of the railing, shuffling back to his brother. "I'm going to show you how to tie knots properly on a ship," Jürgen said.

"You're what? Willingly?" Hans asked.

Jürgen chuckled. "We're stuck together for a few days. Might as well make sure it isn't all squandered. Have to make sure you actually survive this voyage," he answered.

"O-okay," Hans said, feeling eager now. His brother was actually going to teach him something! He hoped. Last time Jürgen said he would teach him something, he ended up locked outside of the palace in the freezing snow learning how to, in Jürgen's words, 'survive a frigid night with nothing but the clothes on your back after you anger someone and they decide to banish you'. And then the time before that he'd ended up learning how to swim because Jürgen threw him into the lake to drown. Well, maybe not drown because Jürgen hadn't left the lakeside—when he'd told on Jürgen to father, father had told him that if Jürgen had wanted to drown him, he would have left, or tossed him into a river, or over the edge of a ship into the ocean—but still!

Jürgen knelt down in front of Hans and handed him a piece of rope. "Now, watch what I do," Jürgen said. He began tying a knot, carefully explaining the steps. The first few times, Hans didn't get it right and Jürgen was getting angry. He was afraid Jürgen would hit him—Jürgen tended to do that a lot, though not as much as Runo—but so far Jürgen always patiently explained it again. Hans believed that maybe being on the sea made Jürgen a bit nicer. He didn't seem as agitated and restless as he usually did in the palace. Hans finally made the proper knot and gasped. "Jürgen, look, I did it!" he exclaimed, holding it up proudly.

Jürgen took it and looked it over. He scoffed. "Yeah. Proper if you want to die. This is pathetic, brat. It needs to be better. If a big wave came, it would wash you overboard," he said.

"But-but I tried my best," Hans said, hurt in his eyes. He had tried really hard and been extra careful trying to do it right.

Jürgen bitterly chuckled. "You always do. Problem is your best is never good enough," he said to his brother. "If you get washed overboard it'll serve you right for this." Hans bowed his head sadly, tears burning his eyes. "Watch again," Jürgen said with a sigh. Hans didn't look up. Jürgen was silent a moment. After a bit he tilted Hans's chin so the child would look at him. "Watch. Again," he repeated. He did it yet again. Hans observed again. He didn't know where he'd gone wrong!

"I don't know what I did wrong," he said, voice breaking.

"Show me," Jürgen said. Hans began working on the knot again. "Stop," he said almost immediately. Hans paused, looking up. "Tighter, Hans, pull it tighter," he said. "And make it more even and properly sized." Hans tried again and pulled it. "Harder." Hans pulled harder. "Harder," Jürgen said again. Hans grunted, pulling as hard as he could. "There you go. It might actually have a chance of saving your life now." Hans nodded. "Let's go to the helm and I'll give you a crash course on steering."

"You're going to let me sail it?!" Hans asked, bug-eyed.

"Not on your life. Not unless the situation is so dire there's no one else left to do it," Jürgen answered, leading his brother up to the helm and giving him a crash course on navigating, port and starboard, bow and stern, other parts of the ship, and finally how to steer using all the above information, namely compasses, maps, and other navigation skills. Hans could at least keep the boat straight now, Jürgen dryly told himself. Maybe he'd actually make himself useful on this trip. To be honest, the kid was really getting the hang of this sailing thing. He almost felt threatened by what Hans might have the capacity to become when he got older—maybe he should throw the kid overboard to ensure it never happened—but he wasn't overly concerned right now.

Frozen

The sea had become violent and rough. Urgent orders were being called to the crew. Hans was curled up in the cabin, shaking in fear. Something was very, very wrong. He got up and went to Jürgen, who was sleeping. "Jürgen? Jürgen, wake up, I'm scared!" Hans insisted.

"Hmm? What the… Hans, what is it?" Jürgen demanded.

"The sea is angry," Hans answered. Jürgen frowned and looked out the window. He pursed his lips. Hmm, it was getting pretty rough at that. Suddenly the cabin door was flung open. "Prince Jürgen!" the crew member began. There was a scream. The crewman spun, gasping. "Captain!" he exclaimed, racing in and slamming the door just as a wall of water struck it from behind. Jürgen was up in a second. "My Prince, we're taking on heavy water! We need you up there!"

"Go, I'm coming!" Jürgen ordered. "Hans, stay put and out of my way," he ordered, glaring at his brother. "I don't need the trouble you'll cause up on deck."

"You're _leaving_ me?!" Hans demanded.

"Don't be such a baby, Hans! God you're pathetic! Just try and sleep!" Jürgen yelled, racing out of the cabin and shutting the door behind him. Hans gasped, jumping into Jürgen's bed and huddling under the covers fearfully. He heard men screaming in horror and heard the waves battering the ship. Thunder cracked loudly, and lighting, and the whole thing seemed to creak and groan like at any second it was going to split apart! He closed his eyes, trying to tune it all out.

Frozen

Jürgen desperately fought to keep the ship holding its own in the storm, but the weather was getting too violent to be safe! He had ordered the sailors to tie themselves down so they wouldn't be washed overboard. If he played this right they might be able to ride the storm out. The waves were big, but not too big to handle. Yet. But they were fast becoming that way. He kept the ship facing them at an angle. He couldn't under any circumstance let it go broadside, or they were done for. Of all the times to send Hans with him on a sea voyage, father had to pick this one. Typically in line with his luck.

"Prince Jürgen, why are we doing nothing?!" one of his crewmen exclaimed. It confused him why the prince wasn't calling for more risky maneuvers to be taken. Usually he went all in, in weather such as this, because at this stage it was do or die and possibly die anyway. He was being so careful. The maneuvers being used were the safest decisions, perhaps, but in this situation risk might be better. Why was he being this cautious?

Jürgen was silent, expression grim and set. "It's safer to try and ride it," he answered.

"That isn't like you, your highness!" the crewman exclaimed.

Jürgen shot him a sharp glare. "No? Well I've never had a child on board to worry about," he answered. The crewman started. He had almost forgotten about the young Prince Hans! That must be why Prince Jürgen was playing it safe. He didn't press for more dangerous maneuvers again. Jürgen had tuned out any other suggestions now, intent on keeping the ship afloat.

Frozen

Hans, meanwhile, was whimpering below. He screamed as the ship jolted, getting thrown from the bed. He 'oomphed' in pain and gasped fearfully. He scrambled up. He didn't want to be here anymore! He ran to the door but paused. Jürgen said to stay put. He shifted uneasily. He didn't want to stay put, though! He frowned, thinking. He finally whimpered, backing away from the door. Jürgen knew what he was doing. If he said stay here, he meant stay here. There must be a reason for it. Well, besides his big brother not wanting him in his way. Hans curled up against the wall, burying his head in his knees.

"Prince Jürgen, the storm is lessening. Perhaps now will be a good time to check on your brother," a crewman said.

"You think I care. How sweet," Jürgen replied, scoffing. "Let him cry it out. I have no interest in checking on Hans. If he's in the cabin, he's fine."

"Even if you do not go to check on your brother, you should go get some more rest," the crewman protested.

"I'm seeing this through, my friend," Jürgen answered in a slightly gentler tone.

There was suddenly a horrified scream. "Captain, a giant wave!" another person hollered in terror. Jürgen spun quickly. His eyes slowly widened and his lips parted. No… No! There was no maneuver in the world, now, that would save them. Not with this short of notice.

"Be ready to cut yourselves free!" Jürgen ordered. The ship was going down. He didn't need his men dragged down to the depths with it because they couldn't cut themselves out of the ropes. The wave struck. The ship splintered. Men screamed and hung on as it snapped in half. It began to go down as the wave broke. More continued slamming the doomed ship. Jürgen held on frantically. He watched as some men fell into the ocean, likely to never be seen again. For some, he inwardly hoped all and that no life would be lost, their ropes were still holding them. That was something, at least, buying them a little more time. Time? Time?! Terror gripped him. They were all going to die! There was no denying that now.

Suddenly a ship appeared on the horizon, coming towards them. Jürgen lit up. A ship from Arendelle! They must have seen the distress and had come to help! They were saved! Hopefully. Considering the ship from Arendelle didn't sink as well, but Arendelle's fleets were well built and strong, designed to withstand the most powerful of Nordic storms. They had to be to survive. His men were cheering and Jürgen sighed in relief.

Frozen

The men had all been pulled aboard the Arendelle ship, Jürgen going last. He sighed again, holding the railing tightly. Thank god the sea was calming down. The back part of the ship was just sinking under the waves. Everyone was off. "Your highness, are you and Hans alright?" a crewman of his ship asked him.

Jürgen stiffened, blanching. _Hans_! He screamed a string of very un-princely curses loudly, freaking out. Hans was still in the ship's cabin! Dammit, dammit, _dammit_! He was a dead man if he came back without that boy! Wait… It could be chalked up to an accident, nothing he could have done. Mother's crown jewel would be no more and there would be one less thorn in his side. He should let the kid die… And every word he was saying to himself rang like a bigger and bigger joke or lie. Before even he knew what he was doing, he was up on the railing of the ship.

"Jürgen!" his men called. He tuned them out and dove overboard, neatly breaking the water. He swam downwards frantically. He could see the sinking ship. Dammit, he couldn't reach! He powerfully cut through the water, reaching the windows. Where was Hans? Had he been swept out? No, no, no, this couldn't be happening; not now, not to him! Suddenly something slammed into the window, making Jürgen almost have a heart attack. Of course he almost had one anyway on realizing who it was. Hans! The little boy's hands were pounding desperately against the glass. The water seeping into the cabin was almost full up. Soon there would be no more air for Hans to breathe!

Jürgen placed his hand automatically against the glass where his brother's was. He swam away. He could have sworn he heard Hans shriek his name. Probably fearing he was leaving him to die. Jürgen swam around the ship and to where the door of the cabin was. He pulled. The pressure in the cabin, it seemed, was enough that the door opened without much protest. Water gushed in. He heard his sibling scream. He swam into the cabin, cursing the speed the ship was sinking at. He looked around in the water and saw Hans there, holding his breath. Jürgen felt his own lungs screaming for air. He might be the one who wouldn't make it, he realized. And for what? The thirteenth brother? He could have laughed at himself. He swam directly to Hans, grabbing him in his arms and squeezing him. He tied a rope around Hans then around himself so he wouldn't lose the weaker swimmer.

Jürgen and Hans swam out of the cabin and headed back towards the surface. He wasn't going to make it, Jürgen realized. Well, Hans would, but he wouldn't. He pointed upwards to Hans, urging him to speed up. Hans did so, getting ahead of him. Jürgen subtly drew his knife and severed the rope tying them together. This way if he drowned, Hans wouldn't sink with him. Little bastard. Hah! If he didn't know better he would say this was an early play of Hans's to up his chances of getting the throne. Wouldn't _that_ be amusing? He felt his lungs aching for air. He saw colors passing in front of his eyes. He wasn't going to make it. He was already slowing down, Hans far ahead. He grasped his throat, unable to hold out anymore. He looked up towards the surface. It was so close… But he would never reach it. He let go, air expelling from his lungs… And then a small hand was covering his nose and mouth. His eyes flew open as he struggled, wanting it just to end. Hans?!

The little boy wasn't sure what made him turn before he reached the surface, but he had, and what he saw would probably haunt him forever. His brother had stopped swimming and was grasping his throat. Jürgen was drowning! Hans realized, then, just how much longer his brother had been without air than he had. It was a miracle the older one has held on so long. Jürgen was going to drown! Hans broke the surface. "Help!" he screamed before diving back under and swimming for Jürgen. As his big brother was expelling the air from his lungs, Hans reached him and covered his mouth and nose. Jürgen began trying to push him away. Hans didn't know why. Suddenly two other crew members swam down, taking Jürgen and swimming upwards with him. Hans swam after them and all four broke the surface. Quickly they were hauled up onto the deck of the Arendelle ship.

Frozen

Jürgen was passed out. He wasn't breathing! His men were trying to revive him. Hans watched in terror. Suddenly Jürgen began to cough and choke. They sat him up, letting water expel from his lungs. "Jürgen!" Hans exclaimed hopefully, jerking free and running to his coughing brother.

"Get away from me!" Jürgen shrieked at Hans, viciously shoving him back and down. Hans 'oomphed' in pain and looked at his brother in shock. What had he done? Why had Jürgen pushed him? He thought that if he saved his brother Jürgen would love him, not push him away!

"Jürgen?" Hans squeaked.

"You!" Jürgen furiously said, voice laced with hatred. "You stay as far away from me as you can possibly get, you little _plague_! Worthless jinx, don't even come near me!"

"What did I do?!" Hans screamed desperately, despair in his voice.

"Shut up! Shut up or I will personally throw you back in that sea you damn blight!" Jürgen yelled. He suddenly took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. "Keep Prince Hans away from me. Far, far, far away," he dangerously ordered one of his shocked men who were gaping in disbelief at the older Prince's reaction.

"Jürgen, what did I do wrong?!" Hans begged to know.

"You were born!" Jürgen snapped. Hans withered back. Jürgen left him behind. Hans burst into tears.

Jürgen watched his brother crying from far away. He felt only bitterness, no pity. At least he thought it was bitterness. He felt his mouth quiver. He told himself it was because he had nearly died saving the worthless pest. He turned away from his crying sibling, looking back at the place where the ship had gone down. He watched sulkily. Why had he snapped, he wondered? What had he said? Hans was right. What _had_ the child done wrong? Nothing, Jürgen realized… Nothing… No. Not nothing. The child had frightened him half to death; that was the error Prince Hans had made. He had nearly lost Hans… That would have been a disaster back at home, he told himself; but to be honest, when he had seen Hans in the window, fear of the rage of the advisors and whatnot had been the last thing on his mind… Fear of the emotions losing Hans might bring about in him, though… That was another matter. He feared he would realize, upon Hans's death, things he didn't ever want to even think about… He feared he would feel pain and grief… He feared realizing he had cared…

Present Day

Moren came back to himself, trying to block out the memories of that story Jürgen had told. While crying and not understanding why. He could remember a million other times such things had happened with them. It didn't matter now. That time and place was done. He rose. "I must deliver the news," he said.

"He won't receive you kindly, Moren. He hates you more than he hates even me," Jürgen cautioned.

"Let him hate me," Moren answered, walking off to the healing room. Jürgen followed with a sigh. Just in case.

Frozen

Hans was sleeping when Moren arrived with Jürgen. Mael was reading a book of poetry and sitting not far off in case something should go wrong and force his hand in saving the youngest prince. Because he had saved Hans so well in the past, Mael dryly told himself. "How is he?" Moren questioned.

"Surviving," Mael said. "It is all any of us ever do. Survive."

Jürgen shook his head hopelessly at Mael's doom and gloom attitude, then went to his sibling to see what he was reading. Moren, for his part, turned attention to Hans. "Hans, wake up," he said, going to his brother and shaking his shoulder. Hans groaned in protest. "Wake up," Moren said a little louder, shaking him slightly firmer.

Hans grimaced and opened one eye in annoyance. "What?" he questioned coldly. Of all the brothers to show up, it had to be Moren. He supposed that was in line with his luck lately.

"News has come from Arendelle. The Queen has acquitted you of the punishment of death for your crimes. However, _we_ are not through with you yet, and you have yet to go back and face trial and alternate sentencing there," Moren said.

Hans sat bolt upright and cried out in pain. Moren quickly pushed him back down as Mael shot the youngest prince a disapproving look. He had warned Hans many times already not to move quickly. This served the young man right. He glared at Moren too, however, for saying something so bluntly that Hans was shocked enough to ignore previous warnings to lie still.

"Acquitted?!" Hans demanded.

"Yes. Your little plot worked, brother. A foolhardy plan nonetheless," Moren answered.

"At least this time it _was_ good enough," Hans retorted, glaring over at Jürgen. Jürgen, flipping through a tome, paused and tensed up. After a moment he bowed his head and put the tome down, glaring back at Hans then leaving. "And typical with the way things are in this family. Rely on yourself to save yourself, isn't that right, big brother? Perish forbid _you_ ever step in. It may upset our trading partners and allies. Perish forbid anyone _else_ ever steps in, for that matter; but then they learned it from someone. You're the best big brother role model ever," Hans said, scoffing and looking away from Moren coldly. He couldn't look at the man for more than a few moments without feeling disgust. Might have something to do with why he tended to avoid mirror gazing. In some aspects of Moren he saw himself, but then that was so with all of his brothers. In the eldest, however, Hans also saw himself in appearance. He looked more like his eldest sibling than any of the others. Every time he looked in a mirror, it was Moren he saw and he hated it.

 _You're lying to yourself, you know that isn't why…_

Hans grimaced and erased that thought. Moren was silent. "Mael, leave us," he commanded. Mael looked warily up and didn't move for a moment. Soon, though, he rose and left in accordance with the command of the eldest.

Frozen

Hans pretended to be fascinated with his fingernails. Hmm, they could use a neating up actually, he dryly noted. "One on one time, hmm? First time in ever," Hans said to his brother, still not looking at him.

"You hate me," Moren remarked.

"You could say that," Hans answered. "No more than you hate me."

"I don't hate you," Moren replied.

"Hah! Likely story," Hans answered.

"Why? Why do you hate me?" Moren questioned.

"Because you disgust me. So weak, so easily swayed. It's a marvel the Southern Isles haven't been destroyed yet under your reign. When will you make us slaves to another nation, I wonder?" Hans asked.

"That is why I disgust you, perhaps, but you have yet to answer why you hate me. Surely because I disgust you isn't enough to have put this wedge between us," Moren said.

"There was never anything to put a wedge _in_ ," Hans muttered.

"Yes there was. You just can't remember," his brother answered. Hans's eyes glittered dangerously. "Is it the way I govern that appalls you? Do you think I was swayed by Jürgen into ordering your death after I'd promised I would do all I could to ensure you stayed alive?"

" _Think_? You _did_!" Hans sharply shot.

"If I had believed for a second that he would have gone through with it, I never would have given him the task or his way," Moren replied. Which, admittedly, was more a half-truth, but still.

"That is no excuse!" Hans shot. "What if you had been wrong, huh?!"

"You weren't the only one who needed to learn a lesson, Hans. He did too," Moren replied.

"A likely excuse. You. Are. Weak. Even when you do judge of your own mind, your judgements are harsh and cruel and merciless!"

"This coming from the man who would have slaughtered an innocent queen and her sister to gain the throne of an allied land?" Moren bit.

"Innocent? Humph. There is no such thing as innocence," Hans bit. "I did it because for once I wanted to be good enough. For once I wanted to be the one to bring my family, my brothers, pride. Couldn't help that it backfired on me. The fool princess had to go get her queen sister angry then promptly go get herself accidentally cursed by the queen afterwards. I was exposed even if I _did_ kiss her to melt her freezing heart," Hans said.

"You should have stayed and made sure she died," Moren remarked.

"I knew you had a cruel streak in you," Hans bitterly replied, smirking icily. He scowled. "Always good, never good enough."

"Don't make this about us, Hans, don't you dare. You screwed up and you can't stand the fact that you were caught," Moren said.

"You're resorting to taking giant leaps for an answer as to why I did what I did. Pathetic. I did it because I could. I did it because I wanted to finally be noticed instead of neglected," Hans replied. Lie, half-truth. It seemed lies and half-truths were all he spoke nowadays. He hated that knowing as much brought him some measure of disgust. He would much rather speak in brash ignorance than know full well he what he was saying and realize how twisted some of it was. "I stood no chance for the throne. Everyone knew it. Probably why I was also the most easily forgotten."

"We're doing this here? Now? This age old sob story? Father didn't love me, mother ignored me, my siblings bullied me, etc. After Justic _none_ of you stood a chance," Moren replied. "After the triplets none of you were _remembered_ ," he added, waving a hand dismissively. "You weren't the only one who suffered."

"But I was the only one with the guts to do something about it," Hans replied.

"You were the only one recklessly ambitious enough to!" Moren bit.

Frozen

Hans was stunned silent by the retort. "Bastard," he finally spat.

"Coming from the only _true_ bastard son in the brood?" Moren shot back. He regretted the words immediately. He was 38. He should be above these petty sibling spats and childish insults.

"You son of a bi... dog!" Hans shouted, rising despite the pain and drawing his sword. "I was as much father's child as any of you, by blood, and you know it!"

"You call _me_ a son of a dog? Hmm, first correct statement you've made thus far," Moren shot back. "You can't take another fight in your condition, brother. Put the sword down."

"Dangerously the two brothers paced around each other. "You call our mother such a thing?" Hans growled, responding to what Moren had just implied. "She did everything for you!"

" _Father_ did everything for me! To mother I was nothing anymore! I would have _died_ to be in your place in her eyes! Her favorite, her crown prince. She despised me! Father was the one who cared for my well-being."

"Yeah, Moren, he cared for your well-being. Yours and no one else's!" Hans shot. " _I_ would have died to have him love _me_ so much! To have him even _acknowledge_ me!"

"He loved you, he loved you, I've heard it a thousand times from Duach on down through you," Moren practically snarled, his own sword drawn now as he sensed this was becoming no more a sibling spat, but a genuine threat. "He loved me well, yes, but he did not love me as a son!"

"What does that even _mean_?!" Hans demanded.

"I wasn't his son. I was his heir!" Moren snapped. "Whether or not you believe it, they aren't the same thing."

"Woe to you that he spoiled you, like people tend to mollycoddle the next in line," Hans bit sarcastically.

Moren suddenly raised his hand to backhand his sibling. Hans caught his breath, bracing for the impact. It never came. Moren had gotten a hold of his temper again. He forced himself to take a breath then glared loathingly at Hans. "Mollycoddled… That is what you believe, is it?" What most of you believe…" he murmured.

Hans raised an eyebrow curiously. What else could it be? And really what did he care? "Don't tell me anything more," Hans said. "Please, don't tell me any more… I don't want to hear your excuses."

Moren fell silent. "I'm sorry," he finally said.

"No you aren't," Hans answered. "Don't play this game like suddenly you care."

"I have always cared," Moren said. Hans sharply laughed. Moren looked down and to the side. "In time you will come to understand and see, I pray," he added. "Hate me all you will, Hans. I have suffered your hate for years now. I can suffer it a bit longer." Hans stayed still, not moving.


	8. The Sorcerer Prince

The Sorcerer Prince

As the spikes of ice careened towards the princes, Elsa powerless to stop them, suddenly a wall of dark magic shot forth in the shape of vicious hell hounds and crunched their massive and horrifying teeth down on the spikes, shattering them in a wave as the dark pack continued charging at Elsa. Elsa gasped and screamed, covering her face. Just as they were about to reach her, though, they stopped. Heart thumping, she looked forward, numb. In fact, all eyes were fixed on the scene. Shattered ice particles from the wall of spikes were lying useless on the ground. Centimeters from the Queen's face, the dark wall of hounds stayed as if being held back by chains. On second glance, actually, there _were_ dark wisps of mystical chains.

Slowly Elsa looked on in shocked disbelief. Standing in the forefront of the princes was Mael, fist clenched. After a moment he opened his hand and the hounds fell to their four legs once more. He waved his hand and they vanished like smoke. His brothers—at least those from Franz down—gaped at Mael in complete and total horror and shock. The older ones, say for Moren and Jürgen, weren't looking at him and were instead looking at the ground or to the side shamefully.

"L-Lars …?" Hans barely managed to breathe out, eyes fixed on his sibling in terror.

"Oh I _knew_ there was something fu…" Franz began.

"Franz," Justic warned in hardly a murmur.

"Messed up about him!" Franz finished in disbelief.

Mael lowered his arm. No one dared approach him. Finally, though, the guards mustered their courage and lunged, quickly wrestling—not that Mael was resisting—the man's arms behind his back and binding them tightly. Whispers of 'sorcerer' and 'devil's messenger' were heard among the crowd. Whispers of 'should be burned at the stake' and 'the Queen's magic at least had good in it, but where is the good in his' also could be picked out.

Moren and Jürgen looked numbly at their brother. Mael met their eyes and bowed his head in something like apology, but more like resignation. A silent plea. _Don't step in this time_ … And they didn't… "Take him to the dungeons!" the captain of the guard ordered. Elsa tried to find her tongue to speak but couldn't. She just gaped in disbelief, hurt and fear and amazement in her eyes. Mael met her gaze. Elsa felt frozen in place. He bowed his head slightly to her and turned, heading towards the dungeons even without the guards escorting him.

"What just happened…?" Kristoff breathed.

"Hans got another brother to take the punishment he deserved, that's what," Jürgen bitterly said, glaring scathingly and accusingly at Hans. Hans withered. Literally. He withered about as much as a human could. Jürgen was right… He was _right_ … Hans gave up struggling, in fact collapsing to his knees with a gasp. The triplets quickly and worriedly pulled him back up. Hans shook them off viciously and looked after Mael.

"Bring him to his room," Moren ordered. Franz cringed but soon took Hans's arm roughly. A little rougher than necessary. Immediately the other princes bowed and turned, hurrying off to do as the eldest ordered. Moren turned to the guests. "The show is over. The queen has called an end to the festivities. Be on your way and you will speak no word of anything that transpired here for fear of the vengeance of the Southern Isles. The seriousness in his tone quailed them, and the guests became terrified. In silence they quickly slipped away. They feared that should they speak of the matter against the King's orders, the phantoms of the sorcerer would find them in the night and rend them limb from limb.

Frozen

The brothers from Franz down were in Hans's room, and things were getting bad. "Did you know about this?!" Kelin-Sel shouted at Franz Neb, who was pacing restlessly, holding his head in his hands as the younger brothers all surrounded him baying for answers.

"Leave me out of this," Franz muttered. Oh it sucked to be the middle child. Horribly. Literally the middle of all thirteen. There were six older and six younger. He was _right_ in the middle.

"Did you know our brother was a magic wielder?!" Kelin-Sel demanded.

"Answer us, dammit Franz! Don't ignore us again!" Iscawin begged.

"No! I didn't know, okay, I didn't! I didn't! In that respect I was considered one of the 'little ones', you understand? They never told me anything!" Franz yelled back. "No, no, no, they-they did. They almost-they said there was-was something I needed to know about-about them and the past and something about Lars and just... I didn't want to know, okay? I didn't want to know! I _still_ don't." Suspecting what had happened in the past was bad enough as it was… "I _begged_ them to consider me one of the 'little ones' in that respect. Even when they said they wanted me to know, I walked out. I didn't want to hear, I don't want hear, I _never_ want to hear! For god's sake, leave me out of this! I knew nothing! I was ignorant! I wanted to be, _had_ to be!" Realizing he was starting to sound hysterical, he took a breath, frantically trying to calm down.

"Why didn't they tell us?!" Calcas demanded in anguish.

"Because it was something you didn't need to know!" Franz shouted. "No one needed to know! That was _their_ issue, not any of yours and not mine."

"It wasn't our issue to know our brother was a _sorcerer_?!" Coth freaked.

"He isn't! I mean I don't know. I mean, well, dammit, why don't you ask the others about this? I can't help you!" Franz insisted.

"Our brothers stopped helping us long ago," Connyn muttered.

"That isn't true!" Franz shot sharply, eyes narrowing.

"Yes it is. And you know it," Hans murmured. They turned to him. He hadn't moved from his position on the bed, head hung low and eyes shut. He hadn't spoken since the banquet. Since Mael had been brought to the prisons. They liked to believe it was because of guilt. Maybe it was. With Hans, though, you could never really tell. They fell silent. None dared ask him. Maybe they didn't want to know the answer. Not wanting to know… That seemed to be the biggest problem for all of them… Maybe if they did, things wouldn't be like, well, _this_ … But it wasn't like they knew how to do much better.

Frozen

Elsa sat like a statue in her chair, listening to the advisors speaking. She could hardly hear the one taking the lead and could hardly see, the image of the burst of magic from Mael returning to memory and replaying over and over and over again.

 _She wasn't the only one…_

"He cannot be allowed to live!" the grand advisor said.

Elsa snapped back to herself, giving him and the others a cold look. "Much like you felt towards me," she said.

"In your powers, my queen, there was good to be felt. It was as beautiful as it was dangerous… But him… Those powers are dark and deadly. There is no beauty or redeeming aspect of them. There is nothing but blackness," the head advisor said. Elsa was quiet. Quiet because she knew he was right…

 _Such wickedness felt from those powers… How could it be so dark?_

"What are you suggesting?" she questioned.

"Ideally? Have that man burned at the stake," the head advisor replied. "Unfortunately, that would do our political relations with the Southern Isles no good unless…"

"Unless?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Unless King Moren agreed," the advisor said.

"It is his brother. He won't," Elsa answered. "And I won't have talk of burning _anyone_ at the stake anymore. We live in the nineteenth century. That punishment hasn't exited in my land since the sixteenth century and never will again! We're through here, advisors. Please, summon King Moren. I've… changed my mind… I need to speak to him…"

"I urge you, your majesty, to have that sorcerer put to death before he beats you to it," the advisor insisted.

"Go," Elsa firmly said, unmoved in her resolve. "The Sorcerer Prince will not be harmed on my land or on my orders."

"As you command, your majesty. I pray you see the light soon, though," the man said, bowing to her then turning and leaving with the rest.

Frozen

Elsa let out a shaky breath, body sagging in the throne as she dropped the mask of poise she'd been wearing. She was shaking she noted, as she looked at her hands. She swallowed and closed her eyes tightly, clenching her fists. The door opened. Elsa looked up quickly. She tried to put on the mask of poise again, but when she saw how defeated and ashamed the King looked, she gave up on the guise and let herself sag weakly again, and tiredly. She just wanted to sleep and pretend none of this had ever happened… Anna, at least, had Kristoff to lean upon. Last she had seen the two, Anna was weeping against her fiancé as Kristoff held her so lovingly… She wished, right now, that she had that, but it would never be. It couldn't be. Not with her powers like this. She couldn't… she would never be able to bring herself to risk it…

Moren was before her, she suddenly noticed. What was he doing? She sat up in surprise. He was kneeling to her, head bowed low. "Forgive my brother for his foolishness. Forgive all of us," Moren said. "If I had known it would end like this…"

She didn't want to hear it. "Don't ask me to forgive what can't be forgiven," she answered.

"Then I will only apologize eternally to you for what happened this night," Moren said.

"You don't have to. Don't apologize for Hans's behavior," she said. "That's _his_ issue, not yours."

"I wish it were so simple," Moren said. Elsa thought about pressing before deciding she didn't have the energy for it.

"Did you know?" she questioned. Moren was silent, still not looking up. "Rise. Please. You are a king. You don't need to kneel before me for your brothers' sakes." Moren glanced up at her then stood. Elsa gestured to a stool next to her throne, silently commanding—asking, rather—him to sit. Moren did so. Elsa looked at him for an answer. He was pretending he hadn't heard, she realized. "Did you know?" she repeated again. "About Mael?"

Moren bit the inside of his cheek then sighed, drawing a hand over his eyes tiredly. He looked up at her. "Yes," he answered boldly. All of us down to Justic knew. Franz would have known too had he wished it, but in that case he begged us to consider him one of the 'little ones' and tell him nothing… He is content in his obliviousness, but he suspects… He suspects more than he lets on… He just chooses to block it all out and not pay any mind to it…"

"Why only the eldest ones?" Elsa asked.

"Because the job of an older sibling is to protect their younger ones. They didn't need to know. No one beyond myself, Jürgen, and Lars needed to know, but Rudi, Rhun, at some point figured it out. One by one others began to as well. We cut it off at Justic. We wouldn't have the younger ones know too…" Moren answered.

Elsa was quiet. For now she would drop talk of Mael. "Hans said 'she didn't want a protector, she wanted a sister'," Elsa murmured. Moren was quiet. She looked at him. "Do you agree?"

"For the longest time I didn't… I was wrong… My siblings were right. All of them. They needed a brother, not a protector, so yes… Now I can say I agree with Hans, but it is too little too late for our family now," Moren said. He was quiet, as was Elsa. Finally he looked at her. "What fate do your people desire for Mael?"

Elsa bit her lower lip. "Burned at the stake," she finally admitted. And she feared a rebellion if she didn't oblige them, but she wasn't giving in to that pressure. Not now, not ever.

Moren was silent. "They will rebel if he does not die…" he murmured half to himself and half to her.

"No. I can handle talk of rebellion," Elsa answered. "I will _not_ let them have your brother to strip and to humiliate and to execute."

Moren nodded sluggishly, emotionally and physically exhausted. "You didn't order Hans imprisoned," he noted.

"I wanted to wait for your blessing to do so. You were invited so that we could discuss relations between our nations as allies now. To lock up two of your brothers without your consent was kind of a step backwards," Elsa replied.

Moren nodded. "It is good you waited… _I_ still don't know what to do…" he said. After a long moment, however, he looked up. "If you must, then imprison him," he said.

"Are you sure?" she questioned uneasily.

"I can't keep sparing him punishment," Moren answered. "Any of them, for that matter. They were ordered to be on their best behavior. Should any of them break that command, _let_ them be locked up accordingly."

She saw him, in that moment, become a king. Not a brother, but a king, firm and harsh yet fair. "Maybe that should be explained to them before action is taken. If they didn't know the consequences before, they couldn't judge their actions accordingly."

"Hiding their actions for fear of punishment is no better than desiring to do them in the first place," Moren replied. Elsa was quiet. He was harsh, oh he was harsh. A strong king. One that no doubt demanded the respect of his subjects. She sometimes wished she could be so strong.

"Perhaps…" she murmured. She turned to him. "Let this one go," she said. "Make the consequences known, then if ever something like this happens again, they can be dealt with… I was cruel to Hans too… I shouldn't have said…" She trailed off, swallowing and bowing her head. She still couldn't believe some of those things she had said had come from her.

"No, you shouldn't have," Moren agreed, nodding. He turned to her. "But then sometimes, in the heat of anger, it's hard to see which lines shouldn't be crossed."

Elsa was silent, thinking. "Was Mael born with the powers or cursed?" she questioned.

"Cursed," Moren answered, rising and quickly walking away. She blinked after him. He was hiding something. He was hiding a lot. She didn't like it.

"King Moren," she said, rising up and standing regally and authoritatively. Moren turned. "If this alliance is going to work, I need to know there is honesty between our lands. I need to know I can trust you."

Moren was silent. "I hide nothing from you that shouldn't be hidden, my lady," he answered.

"Is that a lie or the truth?" she questioned, recalling Hans's warning about his brothers being chameleons too.

"Truth. In a sense. What befell the royal family in past and present personal lives is nothing that concerns you, Queen Elsa. Nor will it be opened up about. No decent ear should ever have to hear the stories… But trust that nothing that is hidden about our pasts pertains to the security of you, your sister, or your kingdom, and if it ever _does_ stretch beyond the borders of the Southern Isles, you will know of it," he said.

"I wish I could trust you," she answered.

"I know," Moren answered. "I wish I could trust _myself_ …" He looked at the window and sighed through the nose, pinching the bridge. "We will discuss the terms of the alliance tomorrow."

"It doesn't have to be so soon after all of this," she sympathetically said.

"It's alright," Moren assured.

"Mael will be there with you," she promised. "I won't have him locked away for something like this. I won't have him locked up because people are afraid."

"Sometimes, my queen, people fear for good reason," Moren said. With that he left. Elsa blinked, shocked silent. She let that sink in for a good long time.

Frozen

Elsa walked down to the dungeons silently. She took a deep breath, pushing open the door leading into it and entering quietly. She heard the guards muttering. Something about the chained sorcerer and about how they should behead him and burn his body before he brought the palace down on top of them. It seemed they had all consented to the plan. She inwardly cringed and slipped passed the guards. They wouldn't be carrying it out while she was here. Or after. She went to the far cell and paused, looking inside. The man sat still and regal, gazing ahead at nothing with a blank look in his eyes as if… She didn't know how to explain it, but _something_.

"Prince Mael," she gently said. He was unresponsive. She bit her lower lip then tentatively removed the keys to the cell. She inserted them cautiously into the lock, took a breath, then opened it up and slipped inside. She approached him carefully. He remained not moving. "Prince Mael," she repeated.

Mael blinked and suddenly seemed to notice her. "They will come to kill me tonight," he said to her.

"I won't let them," she promised.

"They will not obey you," he said. "You will tell them, 'You are not to draw your swords against the imprisoned sorcerer prince on penalty of death.' They will not draw their swords. They will instead take me and steal me away to the town square. They will burn me in secret at the stake."

Her eyes widened. He had just said the exact words she'd planned to use… "I-I will release you," she said.

"They will find me," he answered.

"Your brothers…" she began.

"Will be killed in my defense," he said. "I will not allow that so I will not be monitored constantly like Hans is being. Not when it means their deaths or the deaths of any others… But take heart, my lady. A savior will come… He will take my place and it will be him they lash and bind to the stake…"

"Who?" she questioned.

"I don't know…" he answered. "I cannot see the face…"

"That savior will die in your stead," Elsa realized in growing horror.

"I don't know," Mael said… "Part of me believes the savior will have an escape route of some sort, a plan to get away. Another part says that is a lie."

"What does that mean?" Elsa asked.

"Usually something ambiguous… It means my savior will rely on the actions of another… That one's decisions in the coming trial will mean the life or death of the savior who rescues me… It will not be my actions or those of my brothers, though perhaps in part they will be."

Elsa was quiet. "You're a seer…" she realized.

He blinked slowly towards her. "Not even my own brothers—at least not all—have deduced as much, though there are those of them who suspect…" he admitted. He looked ahead once more. "In the river's still expanse/Like some bold seer in a trance/Seeing all his own mischance/With a glassy countenance/Did she look to Camelot," he murmured.

"What is that?" she asked.

"A quoted poem. The Lady of Shalott. It was written by an acquaintance of mine. Alfred Lord Tennyson," Mael answered. Hans hated him and the feeling was mutual, Mael knew. "He desires to publish it someday… It is a beautiful poem… And tragic," he murmured.

"You're like the seer," she deduced.

"My lady, I _am_ the seer," Mael answered. "I was who he pictured when that line came to mind for it… Yes, I trusted a mere acquaintance with that secret before even my own brothers… _That_ is true tragedy."

"You've gazed into your future," she realized.

"Yes," he murmured.

"What did you see?" she questioned.

"Pain. Sorrow. Darkness… You know, the future changes… Many a vision I have seen has been avoided because something unexpected or out of the ordinary happened to divert it and change the path. You can change a forseen future, despite what most will tell you… Fate is ever changing and never certain… As they spin the threads, the fates change and tune and take apart and reweave according to the decisions we each make…" Mael muttered.

"You seem a poet too," she remarked.

"Yes," he answered. He looked at her. "Why did you come?" he asked.

"To free you," she said.

"You're lying," he stated.

She blushed and bowed her head. "You sensed I had powers…" she murmured.

"Yes," he said. "And sensed them coming to light…"

"Is that why you came near when Iscawin danced with me, so that he could spin me off to you?" she asked.

 _He **had** helped her regain control of them..._

"You have it within you to control that which you wield. In a way you already do," Mael said. "What you lack is someone who can show you the _true_ meaning of control."

"Confidence?" she questioned.

"No," he answered. "Not in this case. First accept they are part of you and forever will be," he said. "Until you do that, nothing more can be done."

"You mean resign myself," she said.

" _I_ resigned myself," he said. "You were born with them. It will be easier for you to accept than it was for me. You almost already have," Mael said.

"Have I?" she asked, looking at her hands. Sometimes she wasn't so sure.

"Take my hands," he said, holding them out. She looked at them in surprise. "Take them and unleash your power into me," he said.

"What?" she asked, paling.

He seized her hands firmly. "Use them," he commanded. She didn't move. "Now," he ordered.

She looked down, tearing her gaze away from his eyes. Had he been hypnotising her? No, that was silly. His eyes were just... She didn't know. The kind that made you _feel_ that way. She wanted to protest, but she got the sense that he could handle this. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and unleashed her powers into him. His hands remained warm. After a minute or so she stopped, looking up at him. He nodded. "Well?" she asked.

"Your aunt was greatly favored by someone, once upon a time," Mael answered. "You had her favor and her blessing to be born with them after her." He gave her little more information than that, returning to sitting.

"What are the Princes of the Southern Isles to us?" she questioned.

"We will be as much your enemies as your friends, and relations between us may be ever changing, even to war and betrayal, but always we will return to each other," Mael answered. "We won't necessarily have much _choice_ but to do so."

Elsa nodded. "You can teach me. To use these powers and control them," she said.

"I can. And I will, if you desire it… When all is said and done and I am certain I will live," he answered. She nodded.

"Let me free you," she pled.

"Leave me here," he commanded.

"If I tell the guards that no harm is to befall you?" she questioned.

He looked amusedly at her. "Then they will defy you," he answered. "Fear can sometimes be even more powerful than loyalty, Queen Elsa." She bowed her head then turned and left. Oh she hoped his vision was true… And she hoped the savior would survive as well…


	9. Past: Departure to Arendelle

Past: Departure to Arendelle

(A/N: Fist things fits, **Trigger warning** , for this chapter, in the second half of the flashback scene. Reference to Frozen Fever right off the bat. Things start picking up pretty quickly after this chapter, this I think is the last 'Past' chapter that dictates how they came to end up sailing for Arendelle, and the rest is the plot moving onwards with no other chapters specifically meant to flash back in time, though there will be other flashback scenes. Just not as often. Next chapter has a long one, but that's it for a few more chapters.)

Moren read over Elsa's letter of pardon once more as he sat. He needed to do some damage control. He needed to cement the Southern Isles' relationship with Arendelle once more and ensure they still had them as a close ally. He looked out the window to where Hans was shovelling manure and grumbling. He cringed as he saw the giant snowball hit his brother into the wagon and shook his head hopelessly as their siblings who were near burst into laughter and went to pull Hans out of said manure.

Sighing in frustration he turned back to the letter. He was starting to feel guilty for putting Hans on stable duty now. It was hardly a fate befitting a prince of the Southern Isles, but he supposed it was better than death. Really even banishment or exile would have been too light, but he didn't have it in his heart to sentence Hans to either of those either, at least for now. At the moment he had to worry about the alternative sentence that would be handed his brother in Arendelle. Perhaps some understanding could be reached between him and the Queen of that land. To go about this, however, he would need to be tactful. He sat down to write.

 _Most Esteemed Queen,_

 _Words cannot express the depths of my gratitude to you for taking this burden from my brothers and me. I only wish we had ways enough to express that gratefulness. We sentenced him to become our stable boy, forcing him to do such menial things as shovel manure, groom the horses, what not. Merciful Queen Elsa, I know such a punishment is unbefitting the crime. It does not even come close. I promise you that I will find a way to make him pay for his betrayal of you and your sister in a way that would please you and not make you scoff at my wretchedness. Forgive me my weakness, oh ruler of Arendelle._

 _On to matters of business. I am unsure where the allegiance between our nations stands now, with Hans's betrayal. If we have lost your trade and military alliance, I pray you inform me and let me know what can be done to rebuild the trust between our lands again. Any price you ask I will pay, within reason. Any bargain you wish to make, I will accept, again within reason. I wish this matter could be done in person, but I fear you would not care to lay eyes upon the princes of the Southern Isles after your last encounter with one. I can hardly say I would blame you. Hans is far from the only untrustworthy or dangerous one of us._

 _I thank you again for your mercy and benevolence, oh Queen. I forever remain your humble and wretched servant._

 _With all honor and submission,_

 _King Moren Westergaard of the Southern Isles_

Moren looked appraisingly over the note. It was satisfactory. Dramatic, perhaps a bit exaggerated, but satisfactory. He would send it with the next message ship. Rolling it up and tying a ribbon around it, he rose and went to give it to the courier for delivery. Handing it off, he went towards the stables to pull Hans out of his misery for a bit. Now he had only to wait for Elsa's response.

Frozen

 _Honored King,_

 _Your humility impresses me deeply. You are not like your brother. I do not ask for any show of gratitude, King Moren. I am growing to respect you very much. I do not see your reluctance to do harm to your brother as a weakness, your highness, but as a strength. For all you knew informing me of your chosen punishment would have spiralled me into a rage and destroyed all remaining ties between our nations._

 _I do agree that more must be done to punish Hans for his crime, though it need not be as final as death. Even my people have subtly asked for his leniency. It appears that in our absence he did rule benevolently, although whether it was only to serve his own purpose or not I don't know, nor do I care to ever find out._

 _I am open to discussing where our lands stand in relation to each other. Both this and Hans's punishment would be better discussed in person, as you say, and so as a show of good will let it be so. I invite you and your brothers to Arendelle at the closing of this month, to join in our winter festivities and see Arendelle at its best. I regret you were not able to come to my coronation or Princess Anna's birthday, and also am slightly offended. Therefore, this opportunity will be a chance for you to erase all previous offences I have felt against you and start anew. Besides, the trial will happen around that time, and to that your presence was required regardless._

 _All thirteen of you are invited, King Moren, but you will keep Hans on a very, very, very short leash if you choose not to bring him bound. He will not be left alone for one second in all the time you are here, he will not leave the palace unless my guards are with you and him, or him and whatever escort he has. I want him watched at all times, that is the one condition I am giving you. I am doing this for the sake of my people, King Moren, remember it._

 _With utmost respect and favor,_

 _Queen Elsa of Arendelle_

Moren read through the letter ponderously. Hesitantly. He had not left the Southern Isles for as long as he could remember. Duach had, and Justic, Jürgen, and Hans, but few of the others, if any. He dryly smiled to himself. It seemed the royal family of the Southern Isles had been as closed off as the Kingdom of Arendelle itself was until lately. Perhaps it would be good for them all to get away. He was, however, reluctant to leave the kingdom in the hands of any other. There had been… unfortunate experiences in the past. He thought a moment then settled on something.

"Butler, summon the princes of the Southern Isles," Moren ordered said butler whose name he hadn't bothered remembering. He hadn't bothered remembering any of the servants' names. Few had. Kelin-Sel had bothered, as had Iscawin. Rhun had an impeccable memory and knew most, also Mael knew each one by name, first and last, though he never ever saw them. He also knew their families… Needless to say that terrified the servants and most tended to avoid Mael as though he were the Black Death embodied. Hans he was unsure about. He believed it was about half with Hans. The youngest knew some—those he interacted with most often or those he relatively liked—and forgot others. The butler bowed and left. Moren worked out his game plan once more, carefully. He would have to have it ready for when the rest of the princes were together.

Frozen

"I would rather hang!" Hans shot when Moren explained to them that they were making a voyage to Arendelle for the winter festivities, and to discuss political relations in the wake of Hans's treachery, and to attend Hans's trial there.

"I will oblige you, baby brother," Jürgen answered.

"Thank you!" Hans said. Jürgen started. _That_ hadn't been the response he'd expected. "Oh, you were trying to get under my skin," Hans realized right after. "Right…" He sat back down awkwardly as his siblings all gave him weird looks. Hans cleared his throat, glancing away.

Moren shook his head. "We are going, Hans, whether you like it or not, and you will not be left alone for one moment without at least one of us with you. You will not be permitted to even leave the palace unless guards swarm you," he said.

"I can do plenty of damage from within the palace," Hans bit defiantly.

"Not with _us_ around you can't," Rhun snorted.

"Did I ask you?" Hans coldly questioned, glaring at his sibling.

"No, but you would do well to," Rhun answered.

Hans was about to retort, but Justic quickly cut him off. "Your majesty, who will guard the kingdom if all of us are gone?" he questioned Moren.

"Yes. The pirate Meilic has been pressing on our shores all the harder these last weeks," Calcas added.

"Should he launch attack while we are gone…" Connyn began.

"We can leave the advisors in charge," Coth pointed out. "Or the council or the Generals."

"The Generals. Hah! I would not trust the Generals as far as I could throw them," Duach said. "They would turn us into a military state."

"The council, then," Iscawin said, getting excited about this trip. "I would leave a _peasant_ in charge if it meant we could go sooner! I haven't been away from these islands in my entire life! I'm not about to blow this chance."

"The Council cannot be trusted," Mael darkly and eerily said, causing the others to look curiously at him. He was gazing ahead at nothing, a blank look in his eyes. "Leave the Council in charge, and we will return exiles in our own land."

"The advisors?" Kelin-Sel said.

"I see… nothing… Nothing…" Mael murmured, skin slightly grey.

"You creepy son of a bit…" Franz dryly began.

"Franz," Justic growled in warning. Franz closed his mouth and began to think. "If we can trust none of those, who _can_ we place in charge?"

"I can stay," Hans remarked.

"If we can't even trust the advisors, what makes you think we're trusting you?" Coth deadpanned, rolling his eyes. Hans gave a sarcastic sneer to his sibling before sulking again.

"One of the servants. The butler was very loyal to our father. If we place him in charge of kingdom affairs, he will do a fine enough job," Kelin-Sel said. "Even _I_ trust the man. He can choose a body of helpers from the servants so that should anyone try to launch an attack against him in an attempt to grab the throne, the others can help. Father was wily when it came to selecting servants. He had to be with 13 children to protect. If he trusted them, we can."

"Father was not that great of a king," Hans bitterly muttered. "And an even poorer father."

"Our father was a good man!" Justic shot.

"To you maybe," Connyn snorted in derision. "After Franz's birth we were chopped liver to him. What use did six more princes have to dad besides decoration and bragging rights?"

"He didn't even use _us_ for _bragging_ rights," Iscawin bitterly said, gesturing to himself, Kelin-Sel, and Hans.

"At the time of your birth, father was very stressed, what with mother and all. He had no energy left to spend on his sons," Duach attempted to defend, but he knew that excuse was a shallow one.

"No doubt," Hans sarcastically replied. Duach glared icily at the six youngest princes. He would have thought seven, the general rule was any prince under 30 was considered a younger one, but Franz had kind of been grandfathered into being classified one of the 'big ones' given he was only one year younger than Justic, and then there was a two year split until the triplets after him. Duach would have retaliated, but Moren stepped in. When Moren began speaking, you damn well better shut up and listen.

"The servants it is, then," Moren agreed. "If they themselves are not trustworthy, at least they are more so than our Advisors, Generals, and Councillors. We leave tomorrow at first light. Go, all of you, pack your things and be ready to ride out immediately come morning. This discussion is at an end." The rest of the princes bitterly rose, muttering, and left, though some of them were beginning to feel excited. After all, most hadn't even been away from the Southern Isles for as long as they'd lived.

Frozen

Morning came and the thirteen princes rode towards the grand flagship. A fleet waited to accompany them in case of pirate attack. No chances could be taken when all the princes were at sea. At least one of them needed to survive, unless they wanted a child on the throne. No exception could be made. The original consensus was to put one on each accompanying ship, but Jürgen had remarked that such a fleet would be an intimidation to Arendelle and may spook the Queen who, despite her invitation and letter, they knew didn't trust them. The next idea was to put two princes to each ship and three to the flagship, which would cut back the fleet to only five accompanying ships and the flagship. Then it was decided that there would be six accompanying ships and all thirteen would ride on the flagship. Why that consensus had been reached was a mystery to the sailors. Not so much to the four eldest princes and Justic. Mael had had that look in his eyes. That had been all they needed to determine that separation would be very, very bad. Of course, the look hadn't left even after they had determined to stick together, but then no one really knew whether that look meant Mael's worry was for good or bad things.

"I still say separating would have been a better idea," Hans protested. "If that ship goes down or is boarded, the odds of any of us surviving will go down drastically."

"If we are attacked or boarded, all of you from the triplets down will make for the lifeboats and cast off to three of the accompanying ships. Preferably the three that seem to be in least distress. The one in greatest distress of those three will be the one the triplets board. Then you, Iscawin, and Kelin-Sel continue on. Kelin-Sel boards the one in the next greatest distress of the three, and you and Iscawin can decide whether Iscawin goes with him or stays with you to the ship in least distress," Moren explained.

"More chance of the royal line continuing if I go with Hans," Iscawin said.

"I was about to say the same," Kelin-Sel replied.

"That doesn't mean anything if the lifeboat is sunk by a cannon ball," Hans pointed out.

"Fortunately, you're all good swimmers," Franz Neb said, smirking.

"Thanks to Jürgen and his swimming 'lessons'," Kelin-Sel dryly said, glaring at Jürgen dangerously. Jürgen shrugged innocently. Hans looked confused.

"Oh come on, you didn't think you were the only one he tossed in a lake, did you?" Connyn asked.

"I, uh, well, that is... Maybe?" Hans replied.

"Typical," Iscawin scoffed. "Always you, you, you, isn't it Hans?"

"Spoiled brat," Duach muttered.

"Spoiled?! Excuse me, but I was hardly recognized as _existing_ let alone spoiled!" Hans defended.

"You think whatever the hell you want, Hans," Jürgen sneered.

"That's all he ever did anyway," Franz added, bitterly glaring at the youngest.

"Enough!" Moren sharply ordered. They fell silent, albeit reluctantly. Hans was quiet, head bowed. Childhood all over again, he dryly noted. Maybe they _would_ be attacked after all. With luck maybe he'd be killed and not have to look at any of them ever again… Or anything, for that matter… He was aware of Mael riding next to him. He gave Mael a warning glare. Mael slowly turned to him. Hans looked away a fraction of a second after meeting his eyes. Mael terrified him. He always had say for one very short time period of a few years where Mael, Lars, had seemed semi-normal and he could actually talk to him. Barring that, though, he had never been able to look in the other's eyes for more than a second or two before whimpering and turning to run. Prior to the brief period of normality, Hans could only remember two actually lengthy conversation he'd had with the third born, and even then he had hardly met Mael's eyes… But to be fair, those times were the longest he had _ever_ met his brother's eyes. He never wanted to meet them for that long again because something was in them… Something he never wanted to face and never wanted to know the meaning of…

Flashback

A dark hall. Sounds of screaming and weeping in the background. What possessed him to come this way? Oh yes, Jürgen had asked him to get Lars for dinner. Jürgen rarely talked casually to him, usually he taunted him or belittled him, so Hans had hurried to obey. Maybe Jürgen was starting to love him again. Had Jürgen _ever_ loved him? He somehow doubted it… Jürgen had said Lars was probably in his room, but he wasn't. A servant directed Hans to the dungeons and said Lars was usually there, if he wasn't reading up on history, so he'd went.

There was a dark, dark staircase. So dark and twisty. The seven-year-old had been shivering horribly and reached up, taking a torch. He went down. As he went the screams were louder, and the sounds of crying and of chains rattling. He was shaking so badly the flame was wavering. He had to get a grip. It wasn't so bad down here. It was spooky, yes, but a little fun, actually. The shivering stopped and Hans hurried onwards, getting bolder and bolder with each step.

He reached the bottom of the stairs. There was the big black door that mommy had always said never go through. He paused. The fear was back, now, and worse than ever. He sensed something horrible was behind it. Something so, so bad. He swallowed and reached out, taking hold of the door. He took a deep breath and pushed it slowly open. It creaked loudly and groaned and scraped along the floor. Hans let it open on its own and looked up. What he saw would forever be imprinted on his brain. Lars stood there, back turned to him, looking so, so casual. Sitting before Lars was a prisoner strapped down to a horrible, horrible looking chair and screaming and writhing in agony. Blood was everywhere and Hans could only gawk in horror, wanting to scream but unable to. The prisoner didn't have any clothes on and looked like he was in so much pain!

Then Lars turned. Slowly. As if he knew someone had been coming. His eyes were hollow, expressionless, dark. His eyes bore into Hans's soul and Hans opened his mouth to scream, but still nothing came out. His eyes were practically bugging out of his head from fear! Lars tilted his head ever so slightly then shook his head so disappointedly that Hans felt like _he_ was the prisoner. Finally the scream came and Hans sank to the ground, feeling like he couldn't move. He scrambled into a corner and huddled into a little ball, hoping that Lars wouldn't see him even though he knew that Lars could. He _wished_ he was young enough to make himself believe that if he couldn't see his brother his brother couldn't see him. He was whimpering, now, crying softly. He wanted the screaming to stop, and the image in his head to go away forever!

He heard footsteps and fearfully looked up. Lars was approaching. "Stay away!" he screamed, throwing a loose stone at his brother. Lars paused, summing him up. After a moment Lars turned back to the prisoner.

"Go upstairs, Hans. I'll be up for supper in a moment," he said. Hans was still crying. He wanted to ask why Lars was hurting the prisoner. He wanted to ask so many things. His eyes fixed on the suffering man, who looked at him with a pleading gaze in his eyes as if begging the child to help him or do or say something. _Anything_. Anything that would make the torturer—oh god, his brother was a _torturer_!—stop.

 _Why do you look so casual? Why is the man suffering? Why are you hurting him? Why isn't doing this hurting or making you sad at all? Does he even deserve this? Why won't you let him go?_

Hans wanted to ask all of those things, he wanted to help the suffering man… But he didn't… He leapt up and he ran like hell itself was on his heels. Lars's soulless gaze was branded upon his mind forever. He hadn't been able to meet his brother's eyes since, say for that short period of time in future when he could have almost forgotten. When Lars had been almost normal. Almost happy. Almost like Justic…

Lars, meanwhile, turned and watched Hans flee. His jaw twitched slightly as a long, long foreign emotion threatened to come upon him. This emotion he buried. Or so he thought. But when he looked back at the prisoner it was not with the eyes of a torturer that he saw him. It was with the eyes of a child. He felt sick. Not for long, but for long enough. He went to the suffering man and released him, pulling the man from the chair. The man collapsed to the ground sobbing and didn't move. Broken. Tending the injuries, as was his routine, Mael returned him to his cell and gave him a soothing salve and a certain drink that would induce a sense of peace and give good dreams. He left and hadn't touched that particular prisoner again. Not that it mattered. The man didn't last many more days after that, but at least for that while he'd had respite.

Frozen

Some years came and went, for Hans. It was best not to consider how old he was now. Old enough to know he was far, far, far too young to be feeling this much emotional pain and anguish. He should hardly even know what it _meant_ to feel this much inner pain. Things flew around the room as he cast them down, pacing like a trapped animal and pulling at his hair, willing himself not to cry but unable to help but do just that. Oh god, he wanted to die! He sobbed, sinking to his knees and holding his body close, tightly shutting his eyes and willing himself into oblivion or some daydream where he could forget everything happening around him and everything that made him what he was. He wished he were in another life. He wished he were a bird or some other such creature. Just so he could escape the torture it was to be human. He shouldn't know this sort of suffering. Not at this age.

He felt eyes on him and a shiver shot through him. Only one brother made him shudder like that. Funny how even the mere presence of the man would set Hans shaking like a leaf. He took a breath, willing the shivering to stop. It did. He looked up and ahead at nothing. The brother was behind him. Lars. He almost hoped the creepy son of a… He almost wished the eerie one beheaded him in a psychotic moment. He knew, though, that there was no psychosis. Lars had never been prone to such things like that. Everything he did was calculated and cold and… and something… Resigned? That didn't seem right, though.

Lars moved around to in front of him and knelt. Hans glanced up then looked away. "You are in pain," Lars said. "So much pain…" Hans said nothing, but swallowed over a lump in his throat. He failed to hold back his tears this time, and one slipped out. "Ah little brother…" Lars murmured. "If only there were some way to make the pain leave… I know the feeling." Hans was quiet. No he didn't, Hans inwardly answered, but he didn't want to speak to Lars. Lars terrified him beyond all rational thought. He had never been more scared of anything. The man haunted his darkest nightmares… Yet in the dreams he sometimes had that were happy, where all the brothers were together and content, Lars was there too and was not the nightmare… "Look at me, Hans," Lars said.

Hans didn't want to, but he glanced up. Lars held out his arm. Hans raised an eyebrow and glanced down. He felt a sick churning in his stomach as he saw long, long scars on his sibling's arms. He saw some fresher ones too. Some were bandaged and deep. Others were still bright red but had stopped bleeding. "Wh-What did you do?" he breathed in horror.

"Sometimes it helps kills the pain," Lars murmured as he drew a knife. Hans thought for a horrible moment that his brother would stab him. Instead Lars placed the knife against his skin and cut. Hans watched in morbid fascination and horror. He wasn't seeing this. He watched his brother's blood flow freely. "At least, I tell myself that," Lars added. Though he was doubting it more and more. It was a sign of a mental illness, not a way to kill pain, at least that's what Rudi said. But then he could hardly hear his brothers anymore. He could hardly hear _anything_ anymore. Or feel. Or see. Or breathe or taste or smell. It felt, honestly, like he moved through some dreamscape in a body that wasn't even his anymore.

Hans looked at the bleeding injury, tears burning his eyes. "It does?" he questioned. "It looks like it only brings more."

"I choose physical pain over emotional," Lars answered. Though the physical pain really only served to remind him how much emotional anguish he was in. It was a vicious cycle. What was he doing telling his brother this? Showing him this way? What was he doing…? Was he even anything, anymore?

Hans swallowed tightly and picked up a sharp piece of broken glass. He looked at it a long moment. Finally he shut his eyes tightly, took a breath, and quickly slashed. He gasped in pain and his eyes flew open in shock. What. Had he. Just done? He looked horrified at the gash across his wrist, watched the blood in appal and disgust… But suddenly his attention wasn't so much on his emotional pain as it was on the blood rushing over his skin. "Did I… cut too deep?" he asked suddenly, a moment of fear coming to him. He met his brother's eyes. He met them and held them.

"No. Just right. But you must be careful that it _stays_ just right, because no one will be there to save you," Lars said, glancing at the wound again with the eye of a doctor. Which he was. Kind of had to be as the palace torturer.

"No one ever was," Hans bitterly replied, glaring coldly at Lars once more. Lars met his eyes again. They were silent. It was five seconds, this time, that Hans could hold his eyes. Five seconds before he saw a darkness and a hidden sea of emotions and thoughts and knowledge in them that terrified him, and he quickly looked away. He didn't meet his brother's eyes again, just cut another gash. He heard Lars leaving, closed his eyes tightly, and cut a third. That had been the longest he ever had and ever would meet his brother's eyes again for years to come… And the last time he would ever speak to him one-on-one, say for the little while when Mael had almost been normal again.

End Flashback


	10. Tale of Two Cities

Tale of Two Cities

(A/N: Longest chapter yet by far. In part because of the flashback and in part because there was a lot to fit into it. Probably won't be rivalled in length again until one of the latter chapters of the story, and even then it's questionable whether that one will surpass this in length, so buckle in. And yeah, this entire chapter is kind of a blatant reference to the book said chapter is named after. Unfortunately don't have time to thoroughly edit it, have to leave soon, but here's hoping all the times I have edited it got the brunt of the errors.)

Kristoff sat in the stables feeding Sven carrots and smiling at his friend as he spent some seriously neglected one-on-one time with him. "Missed me I'll bet, Sven," Kristoff remarked.

"Yes I have, Kristoff," Kristoff pretended Sven replied. "You're my best friend and feed me the best treats ever."

"Aw Sven, you're a suck up," Kristoff said.

"Hoo boy, you _really_ have no social life whatsoever, do you?" someone dryly questioned from behind.

Kristoff's eyes widened and he spun around with a gasp, dropping into a fighting pose. "Hans!" he exclaimed. Dammit, where were the escorts that were supposed to be with him?

Hans smirked cruelly. "Wondering where my brothers are? You know, slipping a few sleeping herbs into their drinks was sinfully easy. Guess they're all too preoccupied fretting about that idiot Mael.

"Go back, Hans. I'm not looking for trouble with you," Kristoff said.

"Protective, aren't we?" Hans asked with a sigh. "What do you think I am? Some psycho who's going to kill anyone in my way?"

"Yes," Kristoff deadpanned. Hans frowned dubiously at him then shrugged, rolling his eyes.

"Well even if I was—which I'm not—right now you're not so much an obstacle as my saving grace," Hans said.

"Saving grace?" Kristoff suspiciously asked.

"I need you to help me," Hans seriously said.

"What game is this?" Kristoff doubtfully asked.

"That's none of your business!" Hans shot. "All you need to know is either you help me, or I take something close to you away." Kristoff paled. Anna! He lunged at Hans, but Sven bit his clothing, holding him back.

"You bastard!" Kristoff shot.

"Bastard? Well, I guess threatening to burn an ice harvester's sleigh in this place is pretty low," Hans said, something akin to a playful, teasing, and victorious glint in his eyes.

Kristoff started and blinked. "Excuse me?" he asked.

"What? You thought I mean Princess Anna or Sven? Please. I learned my lesson," Hans said, looking at the sleigh parked not far off. "Do we have a deal, or does your precious sleigh go up in flames?" he asked. "I do like watching things burn." Hey, intimidation tactics. They came in handy when they needed to. He didn't relish using them, often, but he wasn't averse to it. Kristoff blinked blankly and exchanged fearful looks with Sven. Oh they were going to regret this.

Frozen

Kristoff and Hans galloped out of Arendelle and over the land swiftly, Kristoff of course riding Sven and Hans of course riding Sitron. "Why do you want to see the trolls?" Kristoff asked guardedly.

"Not to hurt them, believe you me. I just… have questions," he said.

Kristoff cringed and shifted uneasily. "Is it, uh, you know, the whole 'my brother is a sorcerer' thing?" he asked.

"Yeah… Kind of…" Hans murmured. Kristoff nodded, looking ahead.

After some time the two riders were riding through the area where the trolls lived. All Hans saw were boulders. "Hey everybody, I'm back!" Kristoff was calling to them. And then he proceeded to address them with names. Hans almost thought the ice harvester had lost his mind, but he slowed himself down from jumping to that conclusion. Hans slipped off of Sitron's back and patted the nervous horse reassuringly. Sitron snorted, looking uneasily around.

Suddenly the rocks began to shake and then leapt up, all calling out greetings to Kristoff. "Holy crap!" Hans exclaimed in terror, leaping back as a rock he'd rested his foot on moved. Sitron whinnied and reared up. Quickly Hans took to soothing him while also trying to slow his own racing heart.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Kristoff called back to Hans. Hans awkwardly cleared his throat as all eyes suddenly went to him. Carefully he approached and flashed an uncertain grin at the trolls, coming alongside Kristoff. "Everyone, this is Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."

"You mean the one who nearly killed sweet Anna?" one troll asked.

"And Elsa too!" another added.

Hans cringed. Great. Stories had been spread. "Want us to finish him off, Kristoff?" one of the trolls asked.

"What? No, no," Kristoff said, seeing the trolls menacingly approaching Hans. They paused, curiously looking at him. "Hans has some questions about something."

"And something to ask of you," Hans added.

Kristoff stiffened and looked sharply over. "What?" he asked. That wasn't part of the deal.

"Out of the way, mountain man. You've done your part," Hans said, pushing passed him. He knelt in front of the one that seemed the oldest and brought out a picture. "Look at the person," he said, holding it out.

Grand Pabby looked at the picture curiously. "Handsome young man," he remarked. "Why are you showing this?"

"Do you know him?" Hans asked.

Grand Pabby was quiet. "No," he answered. "But… there have been tales…" He didn't know the person, but another did, he sensed, and if it was who he suspected, this was a dealing he wanted minimal part in.

"Tales?" Hans questioned.

"Stories. They claim he is a seer and a sorcerer," Grand Pabby said. "He was cursed, long ago, by a wicked sprite with extraordinary power. Cursed because he tried to fight off the sprite's—in a man's form—advances on him, and badly wounded it in the process."

"Wait, advances? What do you mean by…" Kristoff began. His adoptive troll mother covered is mouth, giving him a look that screamed he didn't want to know.

Continuing, Grand Pabby said, "In retaliation, as this boy fled, the powerful sprite cursed him and struck him in the back with a spell or uttered an incantation. It was said it endowed the boy with great powers, but at great cost."

"What cost?" Hans questioned.

Grand Pabby was watching Hans suspiciously, guardedly. He looked like the young man in the picture… "He is a relative of yours," Grand Pabby deduced.

Hans was silent. "He's my brother," he finally admitted.

"Then it is him you should be asking," Grand Pabby said.

"As if he could be bothered," Hans scoffed. Grand Pabby tilted his head but made no remark. Hans looked at the picture uncertainly. "A seer… He can see the future…" That explained _so_ much.

"Aye," Grand Pabby said.

Hans was quiet. "Who was the sprite?" he questioned.

Grand Pabby sighed, closing his eyes. "Sprite is only in part true… He was the child of a sprite and of a troll, and he became more powerful than either of them could have ever imagined… He became the self-proclaimed king of the trolls, king of the hobgoblins… He crafted a wicked mirror long ago that shattered in the sky and…"

"Rained down on men… Mael was telling the truth! Grand Pabby, why was I never…?" Kristoff began.

"Because it was never meant to be a matter humans needed to deal with," Grand Pabby said. "Or anyone but us and the fae. We tried to bury it away, to hide the truth of it. We thought one day we could _fix_ it… We never could… It seems not all evils and secrets can stay buried…"

Kristoff looked ready to press, but Hans no longer cared to hear more. He had a time limit. There was no time for stories or detective work. "I need you to make me look like him. Like my brother… And I need you to give me something that will make him look like me…" Hans said.

Kristoff started, eyes widening. "Hans, what are you doing?" he demanded. "You do know he's imprisoned, right? And that they're pressing for his execution?"

"Pressing? They've sentenced him because fear is just that strong. Nothing Elsa says or does will keep them from carrying it out," Hans said. He sighed and rose. "I'm not standing by this time."

"You, he, but why?" Kristoff stammered. It wasn't like Hans to be self-sacrificing.

"As if I'd die for him. But I'm more likely to find a way out of this than he is, and with this new information on Mael, it's best I keep him alive a good while longer," Hans said.

"Hans, this could get you killed!" Kristoff said.

"Even if the worst happens, my sentence was death anyway," Hans replied.

"No, you were acquitted of it," Kristoff deadpanned.

"Did I deserve to be?" Hans challenged. He knew full well Kristoff didn't think so. Confirming that thought, Kristoff just cringed and glanced to the side awkwardly. "I thought so." Hans turned back to Grand Pabby. "Can you do it?" he questioned.

Grand Pabby gazed at Hans a long moment. "There is more to you than you than meets the eye, young prince…" the old troll remarked.

"I don't do cliché. Usually. Look, just make me look like my brother and get this done Tale of Two Cities style," Hans said.

"Very well," Grand Pabby replied. An elderly troll female came forth, offering two vials to Grand Pabby. Grand Pabby took them and handed them to Hans. "The one in the auburn bottle is the one that will make him look like you. The one in the black bottle is the one that will make you look like him. You are risking much for your sibling…"

"Not as much as you would think," Hans answered. Kristoff didn't want to even _begin_ to try and guess how many double meanings that statement had had in it, but he suspected a lot.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Hans?" Kristoff questioned.

Hans was quiet, looking at the vials. "I can take it," he answered. He _would_ take it.

Frozen

Mael lay on the bench in his cell. Time was running short. Very soon the guards would act. Elsa had given her order. They would not draw their swords against him, but burning at the stake was fair game. He heard tapping at the bars and looked over. He frowned curiously and sat up. "Hans?" he asked in vague surprise.

"Open the cell," Hans ordered. Mael made no move to obey. "Open it, Lars, I know you can." Mael glanced over. Finally he raised his hand and turned his palm upwards. A dark being appeared and crushed the lock in its hand before Mael dispersed it. Hans pulled the crushed lock firmly and it came off. He slid open the cell and entered. "They're coming to take you," he said.

"Then you need to leave," Mael said, but his eyes were darkening with suspicion. Suddenly he was realizing where this might be going, and he didn't like it.

"Take this. It will make it painless," Hans said, holding out a bottle to Mael.

Mael looked skeptically at it. "No," he finally said, looking sharply up at Hans.

"Take it or I force it down your miserable throat," Hans threatened. "You keep something this big a secret for over three decades? Don't think I won't get rough with you. Brother, you don't even _know_ how angry we are with you and the other big ones."

"Leave Hans," Mael commanded.

"You know what's happening. You saw this coming," Hans said. Mael stiffened, paling ever so slightly. Hans had never been able to make Mael pale, he noted. None of them had. Hmm, he felt accomplished. "That's right. I know your secret, soothsayer. The trolls were helpful enough." Mael was quiet. "Still have plenty of questions they wouldn't answer, but that can wait until after this fiasco is done with."

Mael was quiet. "You are the savior…" he realized. He bitterly chuckled. "I should have known better than to think I would be fortunate enough for it not to be one of you…" He looked up at Hans. "Why?" he questioned.

Hans was quiet. "I don't know," he answered.

"Yes you do," Mael said, but he wouldn't press. "Leave me, Hans… Please… I can't foresee if you live or die…"

"Delayed justice if I die, at worst," Hans said. If he was going to die, it might as well be for something that at least would appear to have been heroic. He liked switching things up sometimes.

"I can't hear of your death… Not for my sake…" Mael said.

"Take the potion or this gets rough. Fast," Hans threatened. After a long moment Mael reached out, taking it. He looked at it a long moment then suddenly moved to dash it on the ground. Hans pounced, seizing it and throwing his brother roughly down, quickly opening it and, true to his word, forcing it into Mael's mouth and preferably down his throat. Though Mael tried to spit or cough it back up, it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough and Hans soon drew the vial away as Mael continued coughing. "See? I don't need powers to see the future," Hans said. He took the other vial and drank it quickly.

Mael looked at him, mouth agape in shock. He looked at his hands. He felt himself changing. He saw Hans changing too. Suddenly he was looking at himself. His clothes, his appearance, his everything. He looked down at his own body. He was in Hans's clothing… He was in Hans's appearance… He looked up at his brother in disbelief, lips parted in shock and eyes wide in mystification. He didn't understand. Why was Hans doing this? Why was he willing to? …Something told him that Hans himself didn't know… Long, long ago Hans had forgotten which persona he put on was the true him. He had worn so many masks and taken so many personalities that the true one had been buried far, far away so that now Hans didn't even know himself anymore.

"You shouldn't have done that," he hollowly said.

"I'm counting on you to do your part," Hans said. Mael was silent. He would. He would tell his brothers everything, and when he had he would go to Elsa. Would he tell her he wasn't really Hans or play the part of his brother? He didn't know, as of yet, but either way she would know someone was being executed against her orders… Whether Hans lived or died would fall solely upon her actions from that point on. It all came down to Elsa… He would act Hans's part, Mael decided. She would more likely try and save him than she would try to save Hans, but they would see. He would feel it out. They heard footsteps coming quickly. "Hide," Hans said.

Swiftly Mael left the cell and got out of sight behind something. Hans shut the door again. Not that it would fool the guards given the lock was pretty well useless. Suddenly it fixed itself. Or not, Hans said to himself. Mael, no doubt. He looked towards where his brother was hiding and nodded. Wow. Mael's form felt so weird. The cell door was suddenly thrown open. Hans cried out in alarm as he was seized rougher than he'd expected and thrown to the ground. They were beating on him, he suddenly realized as searing pain began shooting through his body. They were beating him! He felt them wrench his arms painfully behind his back. He almost swore he heard a crack, but given he wasn't screaming in pain he hoped it wasn't as bad as it seemed. They bound him tightly, gagged him, and slipped a sack over his head. Swiftly they raced out with Hans in tow. Mael watched in shock and rage and concern. The moment it was safe, he got out of hiding and ran to find his siblings.

Frozen

"He _what_?!" Jürgen freaked.

"I will not repeat myself. There isn't time," Mael answered, already marching out. "I have to see Elsa and warn her."

"As Hans? She'll more likely rip your head off," Duach remarked.

"Especially after Hans's disgusting display at the banquet," Justic said.

"Not that she was much better when she lost her temper," Rhun half-heartedly defended their sibling. Which was odd, because he was one of the ones who would have happily tortured Hans while laughing. And had. Not brutally in the way he could have, but that wasn't the point.

"Shut up and let's move. We don't have time to overthink this," Connyn said, quickly racing off after Mael in Hans's form. The rest of the twelve brothers followed quickly.

Frozen

"Queen Elsa!" Hans's voice called out. Elsa stiffened in her throne, looking dangerously up. The throne room door burst open frantically and immediately coldness became alarm. What was this? All twelve of them were racing in and all twelve of them looked terrified.

"What happened?" she demanded sharply, rising.

"It's Mael! He isn't in his cell!" Hans—or who she perceived to be Hans—replied. "Something happened to him! He's been taken."

Elsa paled. _Oh no_. She gasped and immediately raced down from the throne. "Get to the stables!" she ordered. "They would have taken him to town." At least if Mael's vision was to be believed. Oh god, don't let them be too late. Immediately the princes and king followed her in her mad dash for the stables. The princes mounted their steeds. Without waiting permission, Elsa swung up onto Iscawin's horse and wrapped her arms around him. She could see his blush even in the dark and smirked to herself. She liked him. He was cute. And really fun to fluster.

"Qu-Queen Elsa, I-I'm honored," he stammered.

"No, I am," she answered honestly. "Now let's get moving." Iscawin grinned back at her excitedly and spurred the horse into action. Immediately the twelve steeds tore out of the palace courtyard and galloped full tilt for town.

Frozen

Hans hissed in pain as another vicious lash was delivered to him. He cursed under his breath. This marked thirty and it was taking his all not to scream in agony. They finally stopped at thirty-five. He could hardly breathe, and every breath was raspy and painful. He was soaked in blood, his back at least. The lashes had been deep. And unnecessary, he dryly added to himself. He didn't see the reason for them whipping him prior to unlawful execution. They hoisted him up and dragged the bound young man towards the stake. None too gently they tied him to it and began building up the already large pyre of wood around him. Oh god, this couldn't actually be happening. Dammit, what had he been thinking? Putting his trust in his siblings and a woman who despised the very feel of his name on her tongue? Yeah. Brilliant idea, Hans. He was on a role, it seemed. Bad idea after bad idea after bad idea. Typical.

 _I see you…_ a dark voice suddenly said in his mind. He started. What was that? _I will come for you. For them. For all of you._

"What?" he whispered to himself. Seriously, what was that voice? It sent chills down his spine and he didn't like it or trust it. Not that he had much time to think on it. The wood pyre was almost built as high as they would make it.

Frozen

They saw the town square. "There he is!" Hans—or who Elsa perceived as Hans—said, pointing. They watched in horror as an execution hood was slipped over the prince's head and flame was put to the pyre. Immediately Hans—as Elsa saw him—kicked the horse into action, frantically galloping towards it. Iscawin and Kelin-Sel were tight on his heels. She was glad she was riding with Iscawin, now. He seemed one of the faster riders of the brood. She found it a little odd how Hans's horse was behaving. Almost as if he were debating whether to protest and stop dead. Almost like he thought the one riding him wasn't Hans at all.

Suddenly there was a cry. They looked up. Elsa gasped. Logs were falling from a high perch towards them! Just their luck. The horses screamed in alarm, rearing up. Ugh, they didn't have time for this. The princes began cursing and shouting at the careless builders angrily. They immediately turned to gallop down another path. She, though, leapt from Iscawin's horse. "Elsa!" he called out, reigning in.

"Keep going! I can get there faster and buy you time!" she called. "I might be able to save him!" She turned and began running again, raising snow under her to lift her over the blockage. She leapt down on the other side and looked towards the pyre and the stake. The flames were licking at the man's flesh, and he was coughing. Coughing and starting to squirm in pain. She gritted her teeth, eyes narrowing, and ran towards the pyre top speed. Oh she didn't think so! The guards who had done this would pay dearly.

Frozen

Hans's brothers galloped around another corner, finally back on track. "Dammit, we're going to be too late," Calcas numbly said, eyes wide in terror.

"Mael, you're turning back!" a shocked Coth suddenly exclaimed. The others turned to look at Mael. Surely enough, he was changing back. Mael said nothing to the matter but suddenly seemed much more nervous. She would see the clothes. She would know… Or with luck they had stripped him from the waist up, or left only his undershirt, and she wouldn't realize.

Elsa, meanwhile, continued racing forward, eyes set determinedly. She could hardly see the man through the smoke and fire. She scowled. He was making pained sounds and writhing. He cried out suddenly in agony and now wouldn't stop crying out in his suffering. The flames. They were burning him! The Prince's coughing suddenly stopped. He was going limp! He was being smothered by the smoke! Asphyxiation would get him before the burning, if he was lucky. She lost it, whipping off her gloves and sending a powerful blast shooting for the pyre. The inferno, huge at this point, was swiftly encased in ice. The fire burned still, and the ice encasing it was melting quickly, but for now it was buying time. Frozen fire… It looked so beautiful… Who knew two such opposite things could combine into something like that?

The guards, and the subjects that had come out to watch the execution in morbid fascination, turned on seeing the pyre being frozen. Their eyes widened in fear as their queen raced towards them, obviously incensed. She slid to a stop, pointed at the prince, and ordered, "Release him, now! I command you!"

"Queen Elsa!" one of the guards exclaimed.

"Now!" she shouted. None of them dared move. She scowled and ran up onto the pyre, freezing the mound again. The fire wasn't going anywhere now. She solidly froze the licks of flame and shattered them quickly, pushing through to the man bound to the stake. She immediately cut him loose without a moment's hesitation and caught him in her arms as he fell. He was unconscious! His breathing, when she could hear it, was raspy and shallow and shaky. If she had waited much longer, there would be no breathing at all she realized with a chill.

She saw the blood on the back of his shirt and quickly lifted it up. She looked in horror at the deep gashes on his back from the whipping. She moved the shirt back into place and gently rolled him over, cradling him so that he wasn't lying on the obviously painful injuries. His skin was red. She had honestly expected it to be worse, given how long he was in the flames. It was a little strange, almost not normal, that he wasn't covered in third degree burns at least in some places, but she wouldn't question it. Right now he needed help. Panting for breath she gently sent a cooling wave into the inflamed gashes of his back, then softly blew on his chest. An icy breath. One meant to revive him and cool his hot flesh. He remained unmoving, for the most part, say for a slight movement of his hand and turning of his face.

The princes of the Southern Isles galloped up in anger. Immediately the citizens fled in fear, and the guards quailed as said princes leapt from their steeds and marched swiftly towards the pyre. Elsa spared them a short glance—not long enough, it would seem, to realize Mael was suddenly with them—as they came, before turning back to the one she cradled in her arms. She took a breath and removed the execution hood. She gasped in horror, paling, on seeing who it was she was cradling in her arms. It definitely wasn't Mael.

"Hans!" she gasped, going white as a sheet. She almost dropped him like a disease. He groaned weakly in pain, though, and compassion overcame anger. She swallowed and pretended like this was totally okay with her. It wasn't. It frightened her. Softly she blew a cold breeze on his face. His eyes flickered open. They fell on her and were confused for a moment before it suddenly dawned on him what this meant. So, his brothers and she had come through for him after all… He blinked up at her and leaned back, closing his eyes again. It was too much effort to keep them open. She blew softly again, coaxing him back to wakefulness. He gave her a look that was a cross between vaguely annoyed and at the same time grateful.

"It had to be done," he whispered weakly to her. "I had to-to save him," he said, tripping over one of the words as a wave of pain went through him. "It had to be done!" She could only gape in awe and disbelief. This was actually happening. "Thank you," he said to her weakly, eyes still shut and head hanging limply over her arm. She felt so many things shooting through her at once. Disgust, awe, wonder, worry, fear, compassion… So many of them shouldn't even be felt by her let alone so many contradicting ones… He was unconscious again. This time she didn't try to call him back. His brothers were there, quickly pulling their sibling out of her arms and laying him on his side so Mael could tend him and make him ready for moving back to the palace to be cared for. Mael darkly looked at the guards. They shivered.

"No harm will come to you. But if you defy my orders again, heaven help you," Elsa said to said guards, frowning dangerously. They bowed their heads low. Moren stayed still, eyes fixed on Hans. _It had to be done._ Hans had said 'it had to be done'… He swallowed painfully as he remembered the last time he had heard such words…

Fifteen Years Ago

"You will take him with you, Caleb," their father firmly commanded. "Get him away from me and out of my hair. I'm too busy for him."

Caleb glared disdainfully at the eight-year-old child who was playing with a toy horse and muttering to himself. Probably some story he was making up to go with his play that he would later write down. The child was quite ingenious when it came to storytelling, really. He couldn't deny jealousy over the boy. Perhaps too much jealousy to be good or safe, as evidenced when his first thought was to be sure Hans didn't come back. He hated himself immediately for the idea and mentally shot himself. "Alright," he relented. He went towards his brother. "Hans!" he called out. Hans gasped, sharply looking up with eyes wide in fear as if he just expected Caleb to catch him up and beat him. Caleb hated the boy all the more. What had he ever done to Hans other than protect him? Why should his brother be so afraid of him? …He hated knowing they feared him… All of them… He hated them for feeling they had to. Nonetheless at times it came in handy, so he didn't protest as much as he probably should. "Come. We are going to town."

"Why?" Hans asked.

"It is not your place to ask why, baby brother. It is your place to follow," Caleb answered.

"Runo questions the Generals about battles," Hans pointed defiantly out.

Caleb was silent. "There are some orders best questioned. This is not one of them. There are no lives on the line."

"Except yours, Hans," Franz, doing paperwork and documents nearby, sang eerily. Hans caught his breath, eyes widening and skin paling as he looked at Caleb in terror. Caleb was scowling murderously at Neb. Neb's smirk had quickly vanished to terror.

"I will deal with you later," Caleb threatened stoically. Franz swallowed nervously and bowed his head back to the papers as if they could hide him. It seemed Caleb was not in the temper for this game.

Now Hans would be that much more of a bother, Caleb realized. Frightened children were not easy to contend with or control. He had learned that long ago in the triplets. He would have to be careful not to frighten Hans further, or the child would run off and never be seen again. "I want to stay," Hans said.

"Hans, come," Caleb commanded firmly. Hans whimpered, hesitating. Would Caleb hurt him if he went? Neb had said Caleb liked to hurt the youngest ones. He was youngest now in their family. Caleb paused, looking back sternly. "Hans, I don't have time for this. I am not going to hurt you."

"Jürgen said that. Then he threw me in a lake," Hans bluntly replied, glaring suspiciously at Caleb. Franz snorted, fighting to hold back a laugh. "It wasn't funny!" Hans protested.

Caleb sighed, already getting a headache. "I am not Jürgen, little brother," he said. "Unlike our brother, I have actually matured beyond petty spites." It was very apparent that Hans didn't believe a word of it, and in fact the boy's eyes were already condemning him, but nonetheless Hans cautiously went over and reached up his hand for Caleb's tentatively. Caleb didn't take it, instead turning and walking. Hans's eyes filled with hurt and he bowed his head sadly.

Franz, glancing over, spotted the expression on his sibling's face and inwardly cringed, turning away. Humph, kid could use a lesson in tough love. But then again… "For what it's worth, he never held mine either. Or any of ours. Caleb doesn't trust touching," Neb offered. No response. He frowned and turned. "Hans?" he asked. Hans was already gone. Neb cursed under his breath and bit the inside of his cheek. A nervous tick of his, he knew. He sighed in frustration—always too late, never on time, Jürgen often said—and turned back to the papers he had been going through again.

Frozen

Caleb and Hans walked in silence, Hans trailing behind the elder despondently. They reached the stables and Caleb went to his horse, beginning to prepare it. "How has your birthday been, Hans?" he questioned.

"You remembered?" Hans asked.

"Of course I did," Caleb answered, raising a dubious eyebrow at his brother.

"Oh…" Hans began, looking sadly away. _Why didn't you come, then? Why didn't anybody…?_ "Lonely," he murmured in response. "Calcas, Connyn, and Coth are still pretending I don't exist, and Kelin-Sel and Iscawin won't play with me because Kelin-Sel is busy trying to get Justic to tell him if he can order Iscawin executed, because Iscawin is following him around and repeating and mimicking everything Kelin-Sel says and does and won't stop. Franz is busy trying to catch up on the work he put off and Justic told me to go crawl in a hole and die so I would stop bugging him. He said 'it's not like anyone will miss you'. Runo is fighting in the war and Rudi is locked away in the study and Lars is I don't know where. Jürgen came to me. He's the only one who gave me a present, but it wasn't a nice one. It was my favoritist book all torn up and burned. He said he didn't do it but I don't believe him. Even if he didn't, though, I wish he hadn't shown me what happened to it. I cried. He just left. His other present was locking me up with Franz's help until Iscawin and Kelin-Sel heard me when they were walking and got a maid to unlock the door. Then they teased me about being a baby and called me a coward and useless and said I was lucky they hadn't forgotten me yet too, like the triplets and you and the big ones did, otherwise I would have been trapped forever because nobody cared enough to search for any of the little ones including them. I ran to papa for comfort, but papa said he had no time for me and told me to go play. Mama is asleep and won't wake up, or when she does she only smiles and sleeps again. Oh yeah, and you've been gone. I haven't seen you in days." Hans trailed off, thinking. "It's been horrible," he finally, sadly, added, head bowed.

Caleb was silent. Part of him felt like he should say, _I'm sorry, little brother_. The other part rejected the idea, though he was unsure why. "Hmm…." Caleb mused. "What had you hoped to get for your birthday?" he questioned as he picked Hans up and put him on the horse's back.

"This," Hans said, pointing at the horse. "I want my own horse more than anything."

"Hah! Keep dreaming, Hans. The youngest any of us have gotten one was at twelve. Not even the triplets have gotten their own horses yet," Caleb said.

"But none of you have wanted one as bad as I do…" Hans sadly said, head bowed low. It wasn't as if he could play with his brothers, and he had no friends and it wasn't likely the royal family was getting any pets besides horses anyway. Father hated animals, he only rode horses for necessity, and mother couldn't handle them and aunty—staying with them along with uncle, both mother's siblings—hated them with a passion.

"You will get past that phase, little brother," Caleb said.

"I won't!" Hans insisted. "It isn't fair! You always get anything you want and you don't even have to wait or beg."

"I'm twenty-three," Caleb said.

"I can get on my own horse and everything," Hans continued, as if he hadn't heard.

"And yet I had to lift you onto mine," Caleb pointed out.

"I let you because you never hold me any other time," Hans sneered.

Caleb started, blinking at Hans. Had he truly heard that from his brother's mouth? He looked Hans over. The boy had grown, he noted suddenly. He had grown a great deal. He hadn't noticed, until now, how big his little brother was getting. Come to think of it, he hadn't noticed, until now, how big even _Franz_ had gotten. A troubled look passed over his face as he realized with a jolt that, should he close his eyes and try to picture Iscawin, Kelin-Sel, or the triplets without them being right in front of him, he couldn't do it… That troubled him. Deeply. He got the sense that if Hans did not look so much like him, he wouldn't have been able to picture his youngest brother either.

"I see," Caleb answered. For the first time in a long time he realized how impersonal that sounded. He shook it off and swung up onto his horse behind Hans.

"What are we doing in town?" Hans questioned.

"Checking on some businesses, the state of the people, and the stables," Caleb answered. Hans brightened at the mention of the stables and eagerly nodded.

Frozen

Hans watched in shock as the stable master fought with a very small colt who whinnied frantically, trying to get away. He saw the stable master finally force the colt to the ground and tie it down. It frantically fought, but it was too small and weak. "Caleb, what is he _doing_ to it?!" Hans exclaimed in fear.

Caleb was silent, lips pursed. "He is trying to tame it, Hans, don't worry. Let's go," Caleb quickly said. It was a lie. The colt's mother was dead and had died in birth. The colt itself was almost too small and frail to have a hope of surviving even with human help, and frankly the stable master didn't have the resources to care for the baby as it needed. Therefore killing it had become the only option. He wasn't about to let Hans see _that_ happen. Unfortunately, the stable master didn't seem to catch on to the fact a child was present. He rose, dusted his hands, then grabbed a musket from a rack nearby.

Hans's eyes widened in horror. "He's going to kill it!" Hans exclaimed.

"We're leaving, Hans!" Caleb sharply shot, seizing the youngest prince's hand and dragging him away.

"No! You can't let him! Caleb, stop him, stop him!" Hans screamed. Caleb ignored. As was typical, Hans knew. He scowled at his brother. He wasn't letting this happen! "No!" Hans screamed, jerking free of his sibling, turning, and racing for the stable as the stable master aimed at the colt.

"Hans!" Caleb called after him.

The stable master took a breath and began to squeeze the trigger while the little colt screamed in protest, trying to break free of the ropes and looking terrified. "Stop it!" Hans screamed furiously, suddenly darting into the line of the musket and wrapping his arms around the colt's neck as the stable master fired.

There was a second in which the stable master was terrified he had shot the child, but suddenly he realized his musket had been forced up. Sharply he looked over and gasped, paling. The crown prince! "Prince Caleb!" he exclaimed.

Caleb spun on Hans. "What the hell are you doing, Hans?!" he roared at his sibling. One of the very rare times he displayed anything other than indifference.

"I won't let him kill it!" Hans yelled back.

"You little brat!" Caleb shot, storming over and seizing Hans's arm roughly, trying to pull him away from the horse.

"No!" Hans shouted, lunging and knocking Caleb off balance. Caleb almost fell but caught himself and looked at Hans in shocked disbelief and something between outrage and awe. Hans buried his face in the colt's neck and glared angrily at the stable master. "You can't kill it! I won't let you! You'll have to kill me too!"

"Hans, stop being dramatic," Caleb ordered in disbelief. Oh he wanted to slap that boy _so_ desperately.

"The horse is not going to live, laddie. We don't have the money or resources here to tend to it as it needs to be tended. It was a premature one, it was," the stable master stammered, trying to explain it to Caleb so the already enraged crown prince didn't take it out on him.

"I'm not letting you!" Hans yelled, drawing his knife and cutting the rope that was tying the poor thing down. Quickly the colt staggered up. It almost fell again. It could hardly walk. It managed, though, to rise and back into a corner in fear, shivering. Hans went towards it. "Shh, it's okay, boy," he soothed, gently reaching out. The colt didn't move. Hans moved his hand closer. The colt bit at him, but he quickly drew back and seized its bridle, looking into its eyes. "It's okay," he soothed again, gently petting the nose and looking innocently at the colt. The colt nickered and smelled Hans curiously. Hans giggled, which startled the colt and made it move quickly back. "Don't worry," Hans said. "I won't let them kill you. I'll stay forever if I have to. I'm going to call you Sitron."

"Oh for the love of…" Caleb began, pinching the bridge of his nose. He glared dangerously at his brother. "Give me the musket," he said to the stable master. He seized it before the man could protest. Caleb loaded it deftly and aimed at the colt. Hans didn't seem to be aware. He was too busy curiously examining the colt, as the colt was examining him. Caleb's finger was on the trigger, but he hesitated. He cursed the eyes all around that were watching curiously now. Waiting to see if he followed through. A future king was supposed to follow through… Even if he realized he had made a mistake… He didn't think this _was_ a mistake, and yet still he was hesitating. Fear, perhaps? If it was fear, his subjects would see it and his future reign would become that much harder.

Frozen

Hans turned and gasped, giving a squeal of fear and dismay. Caleb snapped out of his thoughts and realized that what the boy was seeing wasn't him aiming at the colt. What Hans saw was his big brother—one who had remarked more than once that he was a burden—aiming a musket at _him_. The look in Hans's eyes… It was so hurt and betrayed… And then it was resigned. "It had to be done," Hans boldly stated, eyes narrowing. "It had to be done. You won't hurt it!"

Caleb bit the inside of his cheek then shook his head, shoving the musket back to the stable master. "You're under arrest," he said to the man.

"What? But your highness, what have I done?!" the stable master exclaimed in dismay and fear.

"We will address that later," Caleb answered. "You are not to question my decisions, peasant." Really, the man probably feared worse than what this was. A negligence charge, at best, and that was because the man hadn't been watching his surroundings and as a result had nearly shot a child.

Hans's eyes widened in fear. "C-Caleb, he didn't do…" Hans began.

"Silence!" Caleb shot. Hans gasped, slamming his mouth shut. When Caleb went into ruler mode, he wasn't a brother anymore. Not that he was much of a brother anyway… "Guards, take this man!" Caleb ordered. The guards, still shocked, cautiously moved forward and seized the stable master.

"You majesty, I beg you, please! I have a young daughter at home. She is waiting for her father to bring home money so that we can eat today! I can't be arrested, please!" the stable master begged.

"Let her beg," Caleb coldly answered. "Take him."

"Sire, no, no, please!" the man begged as he was being dragged away. A charge that would at worst earn the man a night or two in the dungeon and at best cost him a small fine. However, if he was to give into Hans's little protest, he would need to find another way to show the people that he was not a weak ruler and could, in fact, be harsh.

"Caleb, he didn't do anything, you can't…" Hans began.

"It was him or the horse, brother," Caleb dangerously, coldly, said, glaring at Hans. Hans looked terrified and torn, looking from the stable master to the colt and back again. The stable master begged with his eyes for Hans to step in. The man swore to himself he would do what it took to keep that colt alive if only it meant the young prince Hans chose him over it. However, Hans said nothing. He did nothing. He just watched in terror, torn over the choice Caleb had given him. Why had Caleb given him this choice? He looked to his brother, his eyes begging for that question to be answered.

 _Because you must learn now, brother, that many times very difficult choices must be made by a ruler, ones that often are not fair or do not seem to be fair at first,_ Caleb silently answered. Not that Hans would ever guess what his meaningful look meant. He should explain it to his brother one day.

In future he had done just that, when Hans was eighteen. He should have spoken in Hans's childhood. Eighteen was a bad age to choose to explain the matter. Hans had scoffed and called him pathetic before marching off and promptly ordering a horse trainer to be acquitted of a death sentence for an assault that resulted in death. The man had claimed he had killed a horse thief. Turned out, in the end, that though that was very true, the horse thief had had children and, watching them starve, had decided to do something desperate and beg the horse trainer—a wealthy man—to spare him some money. The horse trainer had refused, the horse thief had tried to steal one of the horses that the trainer was intending to sell to a slaughterhouse because it was too old to be of much use. The trainer caught him in the act, the thief begged forgiveness, but none was to be found, and the trainer attacked him and killed him. Oh how Hans had felt on learning all the details… He had avoided contact with his brothers for weeks after for fear of hearing of his mistake over and over again. He had been right. Justic had never let him live it down and had completely lost it on Hans to the point Hans avoided him like a plague and often fled from him. Caleb would see long gloves and sleeves that covered the arms and wrists for a good long time afterwards… And had once seen him silently crying… Hans had looked up at him, on realizing he was there. _"It had to be done, right?"_ he had said in a whisper. Caleb hadn't answered.

In present, though, none of that had happened, and before him was his eight-year-old sibling looking horrified. Caleb knew he should answer Hans's unspoken question now, he sensed he should, but he didn't. He doubted the eight-year-old would understand. The stable master was dragged away. Hans watched hopelessly after him, anguished at the choice he had been given and had not taken. Caleb harrumphed and turned back to Hans. "Guards, take the colt to the royal stables. There you are, Hans, your birthday gift from me," Caleb coldly said. Hans was too guilt-stricken to feel the happiness he thought he would. His birthday gift yes, but at what cost? His head was hung low in shame. Caleb scoffed and picked him up, placing him on his own horse and mounting behind his sibling.

Hans sat silently on the horse now. He didn't even want to look at Caleb. Caleb was cruel and unfeeling. What would happen to the stable master? What about the man's daughter? Caleb was going to make her beg. He glanced up as Caleb reigned in his horse. They were in front of a house Hans hadn't seen. Caleb leapt from the horse but didn't take him down off of it. Hans almost decided to ride away and let Caleb find his own way back home. Caleb went to the door and knocked. A young woman answered. She looked like the stable master. Hans tilted his head curiously. She gasped and bowed low to Caleb. Caleb took some money and held it down to her. She, confused, took it and rose. Caleb said something else. Judging by the way the young woman suddenly looked misery stricken, he had told her about the stable master, who was probably her father. She fell to the ground before Caleb, clinging to his robes and begging for her father's release. Hans heard her offering something, but didn't know what. Whatever it was had Caleb suddenly turn a bright shade of red and practically leap back suddenly flustered. Caleb quickly and gently took the girl's arms and raised her up to her feet. He said something to her and she seemed to calm down. She kissed his hands and went back inside. Caleb returned to the horse still blushing and looking flustered.

"What did she say?" Hans wondered curiously.

"Nothing!" Caleb blurted almost before Hans had finished. Hans blinked curiously up at him. Caleb cleared his throat, climbed back onto the horse, and rode back to the palace. In seven more years—longer than it should have taken him to figure it out, Hans had always thought—he'd suddenly understood what the girl had offered Caleb. Oh he'd heckled his brother mercilessly for that the next two months until Caleb had threatened—and definitely would have followed through—to have his tongue cut out. Hans hadn't dared speak in Caleb's presence for another month after that.

Present Day


	11. Fevered State

Fevered State

"You deceived me," Elsa said coldly to the princes—namely Mael—as they stood before her. All except Hans, watched over by Iscawin and Duach who both, obviously, were also absent.

"Would you have saved him if you had known?" Mael questioned calmly.

Elsa looked uncertainly down. "Well, we'll never know now, will we?" she asked. There was silence among them all. "Hans… How is he?" she asked. It felt like the appropriate thing to say right now.

"He inhaled a good deal of smoke," Rhun answered. "A dangerous amount. He… may be unconscious for a good long while. To say nothing of the gashes from the whips… Some were treated in time, but many became infected. He… he's sporting a very, very high fever. Dangerously high."

"It should have been me…" Mael murmured half to himself and half to the others. Jürgen dropped a hand on his shoulder lightly, gently squeezing. It had been a very, very long time since he had been reminded that Mael was his little brother. He hadn't seen something this close to vulnerability in his sibling's eyes for many years now… It was a painful reminder that Mael, despite seeming as though he had no feeling whatsoever in him and needed nothing from his siblings, really _did_ sometimes… That was maybe a lesson they would all do well to learn about themselves and each other… Or a lesson that _would_ have been good to learn once upon a time. Once upon a time was over now, though. There was only this… This whatever they had. This necessity. Could it even be called love, or just that, necessity?

Elsa's gaze softened considerably as once more it hit home to her just what Hans had done for Mael. He had been willing to die for his brother… Why? Why was he willing to die for one of the brothers he despised? Perhaps Hans himself didn't know the answer. His siblings certainly didn't, not even Mael. It was confusing. It was frightening. It made her very… uneasy.

Iscawin suddenly raced into the throne room. "Mael, he's suffering a fit and his fever is only worsening!" the second youngest fearfully said.

Mael turned to him then looked upwards, the glassy look coming to his eyes. "I used to believe fate was set and solid, that nothing could be done to change it… I have seen destinies change and destinies fulfilled," he muttered.

"What does that have to do with Hans?" Calcas demanded.

"More than you know," Mael answered, the glassy look vanishing. He quickly moved to Iscawin.

"He's thrashing around like a snared animal. Duach is holding him down so he doesn't bash his head on something. We were unsure if that was the right thing to do, but we had to do _something_ ," Iscawin explained quickly. "He won't calm!"

"He will," Mael assured.

Elsa watched concernedly after the two. Not half as concernedly as their brothers seemed to, though. "What other secrets are being hidden from me?" Elsa asked.

"None," Moren assured.

"I've heard that before," she bit. "Then Mael was shown to have powers and I heard it again and now this. You didn't think that maybe it would have been good to share that one of your brothers was a spell caster?"

Moren closed his eyes and sighed. "We kept it secret even from our own siblings, from Franz down, as I told you," he answered. "If we would not even tell _them_ , do not believe it meant deceit and maliciousness that we chose not to tell you." Elsa started, blinking in surprise. She still couldn't believe they'd hidden something that _big_. Wow. She supposed, though, she couldn't talk. She had kept her own power hidden from Anna, after all. Given the way the younger brothers were glaring at the older, Moren was speaking truth.

"Should we go to our brother?" Kelin-Sel questioned.

"The fewer crowding him the better. Mael will need space to work. Hans will need to not be surrounded so he can actually breathe," Jürgen answered.

"They may not be able to keep him calm. If he's having fevered delusions and fits…" Kelin-Sel began. He trailed off. The rest went unspoken. They didn't need to hear.

 _We won't be able to calm him. Our voices, they won't sooth him. How could they when all he associates with them is harm and betrayal?_

The triplets, perhaps, would have the best luck, but Hans associated pain and loneliness to their voices more than anything else. "Won't you at least try?" Elsa asked almost pleadingly. _Surely_ there was something that could be salvaged of the brothers' relationship. They gave her no response, instead looking solemnly back at her then leaving.

Frozen

Elsa bit her lower lip in frustration and drew a hand through her hair with a sigh. She shifted in her throne uneasily then rose. She would go to check on Hans's condition, and perhaps ask Mael to help her with her own powers. It wasn't as though she had much else to do. Anna was spending more and more time with Kristoff. Truth be told, Elsa felt lonely these days. She hated to think that this was how she had made Anna feel for most of their lives… She'd never forgive herself for that. She tried to tell herself it was to protect her, but again and again Hans's words returned to her.

 _She didn't want a protector, she wanted a sister_ …

Elsa again inwardly cringed as guilt threatened to consume her.

 _Oh Anna, I'm sorry…_

She approached Hans's room. She heard panicked whispering from inside. Hans. She paused outside of the door. Fevered fits and delusions… It was no wonder the poor young man was whispering so frantically. No, not poor, evil, she corrected. She took a breath and pushed open the door softly. She watched Mael wave his hand over Hans. The shivering and shaking stopped and almost immediately the youngest prince was soothed and laid still. "It won't keep him calm," Duach said.

"No," Mael said. "But it is all we have."

"So every time he has a fit we're going to have to find you," Iscawin frustratedly said as he drew a hand through his hair. There was pain in his eyes too, though.

Duach suddenly punched a wall hard. "Dammit, I hate not being able to do anything!" he said.

"It can't be helped. All Hans associates with the voices of his brothers is negative…" Mael said.

"We've had that same issue with Kelin-Sel too, and Iscawin, and the triplets, and Franz, and Justic…" Duach began, ranting.

"And you," Mael cut off.

Duach stopped. For a long moment he didn't move. "Yes… And me…" he said. "But at least Rhun could reach me more often than not. Even when no one else could."

"Moren too has had that pain," Mael murmured. He recalled many a fevered fit and being unable to do anything for Moren no matter how he tried to sooth. It seemed the same for all of them. When all that was associated with the voices of your brothers was sadness or hatred, there was no comfort to be found… But maybe it would work _sometimes_? ...Just not often enough, it seemed...

"I can try," Elsa spoke up, wanting the depressing talk to stop. They turned, startled at her presence.

"All he associates with you is negative too," Duach deadpanned.

"Not everything," she said, looking at him. "I never saw what he was, at least not in its entirety, until the very end." She had suspected his proposal to Anna was a power grab, but just how deeply that power grab went she'd had no idea. "As a result I spoke to him no differently than I would with anyone else." And had even relented Anna. They really hadn't had any negative conversations, her introduction to him notwithstanding, until after his treachery had been exposed. At which point it was _all_ downhill.

"It's better than nothing," Iscawin pointed out.

"Fine," Duach agreed, nodding and watching the queen suspiciously.

"Calm yourself, Duach. She is no threat to us," Mael said.

"Not worried about us," Duach grunted.

"She is no threat to Hans either. At least not right now," Mael assured.

"Yeah. Right," Duach said.

"You have as much trouble trusting as a skittish cat," Iscawin said to Duach with a hopeless sigh.

"Back off, little boy," Duach warned, frowning at his sibling. But Iscawin made a point. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Iscawin obeyed and fell silent. Not like he wasn't used to being shut up by his brothers. Up to and including Hans. Who usually got a wet finger in the ear or a snake in his bed for trying to order him around. Yes, he could be petty. He did feel pretty bad about the snake thing, though. Hans would check his whole bedroom for months afterwards. And was terrified of him pranking him again for even longer than that until it passed.

Hans began to shift and whimper again in pain. Or was it fear? Mael turned to his brother and sighed tiredly. Another fit was coming on. Elsa approached slowly and looked down at Hans. She looked up at Mael. Mael nodded assent. She turned back to Hans and reached out, gently drawing a finger across the young man's forehead, lightly stroking and cooling the burning skin with her powers ever so slightly. "Shh, it's alright. You're safe here," she softly said to him.

The shivering began to subside as he began to relax. It was a curious relaxation more so than a comforted one, though. Curious as to whose voice was speaking to him now, when all he had heard so far were the voices of his siblings begging him to trust them this time, that there were no tricks, to please wake up or to please relax… Part of him had wanted to trust the voices… Wanted to so desperately… Every time he had in the past, though, it had ended badly. Very badly. This voice, though, was a new one. Familiar, yes, but new. And a welcome respite. He tilted his head into the touch as she continued to stroke his forehead with her finger.

His brothers were surprised, she could tell. Surprised at how easily and quickly Hans had relaxed as Elsa had spoken. "I'll watch him from here," Elsa assured. "You three should take a rest. You've been constantly tending him so far. I can take it for a little while." They nodded and bowed to her. Silently the three slipped out of the room. Elsa turned back to Hans with a sigh. "Just you and me now, it seems," she coldly said to him. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" If he woke up while she was asleep or unaware… She didn't really want to think of what might happen.

Frozen

He was sleeping soundly. Well, more or less. His breathing was raspy, and at times he would cough or wince in pain. She moved him gently onto his side so she could apply the salve Mael had left to the infected injuries. Every time they were touched, he shuddered in pain. When she finished applying the salve, she gently laid him back down. His fever wasn't going down. She frowned concernedly. That wasn't a good sign. She leaned over him, placing her hands on his face and channelling her powers, being careful not to go too far. It was hardly cooling off and she seriously began to wonder if it _was_ a fever or if his blood was just fire. It began to cool rapidly and suddenly and she gasped, quickly drawing back and nervously looking at him. She might have gone too far. There was a thin layer of frost on his cheeks, but it melted quickly enough. Well, at least his fever was soothed. A bit. For now.

She sat back down, curled up on the chair, and opened up a book, starting to read while she waited. He suddenly gasped. She sharply looked up, eyes narrowed. Was he having a fit? She saw his eyes open. They were frantically and blindly searching everywhere. "I-I can't see," she heard him murmur partially to himself. She put down the book and went to him, laying a hand on his forehead. He gasped again, eyes quickly turning to her. He blinked up at her in confusion. His vision was probably starting to clear now. To his eyes she was probably a blur still, though. He looked to be in the process of trying to figure out who she was. Or maybe he saw clearly who she was, but in his fevered state and with his fevered delusions it wasn't quite registering.

"Oh god, he told me this would happen," Hans said, covering his face with his hands.

"Who?" she questioned.

"Kelin-Sel," he replied.

"What did he tell you?" she questioned, gently reaching out and touching his forehead to try and bring his temperature down again. He dragged his hands down his face and closed his eyes while he held his neck, tilting his head back and letting the coldness sooth him. "He said that an angel would come and speak to me. He told me to listen to her, for she would tell me of my fate and whether I would live or die and other such things. So what is it? What will be my doom?" Hans asked, voice surprisingly weak. Elsa was blinking rapidly. Angel? Did he just liken her to an angel? "I almost believed you were a goddess…" Hans muttered half to himself and half to her. Her lips parted in disbelief. He was having delusions, she realized, if he saw her and likened her to a goddess and angel. "It was all a story... A fantasy that Kelin-Sel concocted. It's... it's too clichéd to be real, and even if it weren't... Even if it weren't, what use would a goddess have for me anymore...?" Hans finished.

Elsa felt an uncomfortable twisting in her stomach. Was that guilt? Pity? She didn't know the emotion. At least not well. Especially not when it came to the man that would have killed her sister and her as well, given the chance. She was silent. "You will live," she promised.

"You're lying, angel," Hans answered. "I stopped living long ago… I stopped because living was too painful… Maybe death would be a blessing in disguise."

It was empathy, she realized immediately. She felt empathy. She bowed her head. "I know what that's like…" she murmured.

"Share with me a story, angel," Hans murmured, sinking further into the delirium again.

"I know no stories," she replied.

"Please…" Hans weakly pled.

She was quiet. "I know one story," she finally said. "About a princess, a queen, and a man, a prince, who's every word was honey and venom."

"A deceiver," Hans murmured, frowning. "I despise deceivers."

You would never guess, Elsa inwardly bit, but she refrained from saying it out loud, instead opting to gently pet his hair and forehead in a soothing manner. "There was more to him than a deceiver… Maybe more than even he knew…" she murmured. She was parroting his brothers, not her own thoughts, wasn't she? She needed to stick to what _she_ knew, not them.

"A monster," Hans hissed.

"A man," she corrected. "The princess fell in love with him, or believed she had, and he seemed fond of her as well, but in the end it was an act, and when she came to him, begging for him to lift a curse from upon her, he pulled away and left her to die… He wanted the throne of the land. If that meant the princess and queen perished, so be it. He wanted to _be_ something… He wanted to bring pride to his family instead of shame… He wanted to be good enough… Instead he brought upon them greater shame than he could have ever begun to imagine, and realized it far too late. He turned to the queen and he told her that her sister was dead. Perhaps he was afraid to face her in all her power. Perhaps he wanted her death to be something she welcomed so that in some small way his own conscience—if he had one and if it was feeling even an inkling of hesitation—could be soothed. The princess was not dead yet, though, and as the prince went to kill the grief-stricken queen, the princess acted and got between her sister and the blade, freezing to solid ice. His sword shattered on the enchanted sculpture and he fell back. The queen, realizing the truth of the matter, wept upon her sister, and her tears thawed the frozen heart of her sibling and revived the princess to life."

"Tears of an angel…" Hans murmured.

Elsa looked at him quietly, then away again. "They imprisoned the prince and sent him in shame back to his homeland to kneel at the thrones of his brothers and fall upon their mercy. They spared his life," she said.

"They shouldn't have," he remarked.

"They were his brothers," she murmured.

"He deserved to die," Hans stated. "Perhaps he even wanted to by that point… Their mercy was punishment, not pity." Elsa swallowed over a lump in her throat and looked away, closing her eyes tightly. She wondered. Did he know she spoke of him, or did he truly believe this a story? Here he was, passing judgement on himself in his delirious fever. Judgement harsher than any even _she_ had ever hoped for him, though she had considered it… "The queen suffered too," he murmured. "There is the true cut… The ones who should have been avenged never were…" He cringed and gave a soft groan of pain, hand clenching tightly on the blankets. The wave passed and his hand relaxed. Gently she took it in hers reassuringly, channeling her power into him again to bring the fever down further.

"There was something more to the deceiver," she said.

"What?" he questioned.

"I don't know… I don't understand... What I know is that he was willing to die in the place of one of the brothers he claimed to despise…" she answered. "Does that mean nothing?"

"Maybe he believed he would be saved. Maybe he _was_ , in the end, and knew from the start that would be so," Hans replied.

"They whipped him," she said.

"As a criminal deserves," he answered.

"They bound him to a stake and lit the pyre," she said.

"And then?" he asked.

"And then the queen came to his rescue, though at the time she didn't know it was him… But when she did, she never let him go. She stayed, she tended him regardless. She showed mercy to the man who would have had her life," Elsa continued.

Hans was quiet. She almost thought he had slipped into unconsciousness again. She sighed and began to pull her hand from his. His grip tightened ever so slightly, holding her back. He opened his eyes and looked directly into hers. "She should have let him die…" he said, and Elsa felt a chill race up her spine at the seriousness in his gaze. He knew, she realized… He knew he was telling their story… She wondered again. Was this Hans as he truly was, his true self revealed in this delirious state? She didn't know. As his brothers had said, he had worn so many masks it was impossible to tell which one was not just another guise… It frightened her… She wondered if it frightened him too… "Can a man like that be forgiven? Can a man like that be redeemed?" he suddenly wondered, tone so, so vulnerable.

Elsa was quiet. Finally she answered, "Do you believe he can?" Hans was quiet. He turned away from her and closed his eyes. His hand went limp. This time he really _had_ fallen asleep again. His fever was broken, she suddenly noted. At least that was something. She stayed put, though, and didn't move her hand from his. She felt tears burning her eyes. When she was sure he was asleep, she let them come.

Frozen

Elsa, starting to wake up, breathed a contented sigh. Whatever her head was resting on, it was surprisingly comfortable and warm. Her eyes flickered and suddenly she remembered, smile falling to a look of shock and terror. She gasped, sitting bolt upright. She'd been sleeping on Hans! She looked quickly at his face to ensure he hadn't woken up. He hadn't. His hand was still closed on hers though, she noticed. He looked so innocent… She tilted her head then carefully moved her hand out of his, looking away. She'd been here too long now, if she was starting to think like that. A man like him could never be innocent. She cleared her throat and stood up, smoothing her dress and going to the salve. It needed to be applied again, and the dressings rewrapped. She gently moved him and applied the salves and bandages to the gashes and burns. She moved him back onto his back and silently slipped out of the room. Mael was waiting outside. She gasped, startled.

"You scared me," she said to him. He was watching her with those… eyes. He rose and went to move passed her.

"My powers…" she began.

"You control them well," he said.

"But not always well enough. If I ever get into a state of high emotion… You saw what happened at the banquet. I can control it, yes, but not when I get like that," she said.

"You wanted to kill him. Your powers reacted accordingly," Mael said.

"And nearly killed the rest of you too," she pointed out.

Mael paused, looking back at her. "What you need is to trust yourself," he said.

"Help me," she pled.

He was silent. "Very well," he answered. He went in to check on his brother. 'Very well?' What did _that_ mean? Was she supposed to stay here and wait for him or what?

Frozen

A few minutes later Mael came out of the room frowning. "What's wrong?" Elsa questioned.

"He is getting restless again. As if he feels something is missing," he answered, looking at Elsa pointedly.

Elsa blinked and cleared her throat, glancing away. "He'll be fine, though?" she asked.

"In a little while… Where can we go to practice? Away from prying eyes and potential disaster?" he asked.

"The dungeons," she answered. "Or the tower. The tower might be best."

"Very well," Mael agreed, nodding. "Lead me there." Elsa nodded and walked towards the tower. Passing the twins, Rhun and Duach, Mael muttered something to them. They nodded and went to Hans's room to take over the watch.

Frozen

Elsa opened the doors of the tower and turned to Mael, backing away from him and saying, "Well, this is it. The tower." She turned around again. "It's not much, but I suppose that's perfect for this."

"For all your wit, my queen, you could do with less naivety," Mael remarked. "Would anyone hear you scream should my intentions have been anything less than what they are?" Elsa stiffened, realizing with a jolt and no small amount of alarm that he was right. She turned quickly, guardedly. He was keeping his distance, but her walls were all kinds of up.

"No," she cautiously replied.

"When next a man, stranger or family friend, asks such a thing of you, be sure you don't go alone with him," Mael said. "Shall I call your guards, milady?"

"Do you want to be imprisoned by them again?" she asked.

Mael dryly smirked. "I don't think they would dare after the last time," he replied.

She smiled. "Your faith in the power of my authority is refreshing and welcomed," she said.

"You do not feel in control, Queen Elsa?" he asked.

"Not as much as I _should_ feel," she replied.

"Perhaps that is part of our problem," Mael said.

"Maybe… In their eyes my age means inexperience. It means I'm malleable and easy to manipulate. They're wrong," she said firmly.

"You hope," Mael added. She inwardly cringed.

Giving the man a cold glare, she replied, "Where do you want to start?" She wasn't about to grace his statement with an answer.

"Right here," Mael answered.

Frozen

Immediately he shot out a wave of dark magic, in the form of a swarm of bees, tearing towards her! Elsa gasped, instinctively throwing up a wall of ice as a shield. The dark bees shattered it, but were stopped, 'dying' on impact. The ice crystals rained down all around them. Elsa looked sharply up, eyes narrowed. Mael sent out a plethora of dark beasts—wolves and bears and more—to attack her. Elsa immediately sent out her ice spears, impaling them all. Unfortunately, another shot towards Mael as well! She gasped in alarm. Mael raised his hand, conjuring a dark elephant. The spear struck it and shattered before it reached the prince. The dark elephant trumpeted in 'pain' before collapsing and vanising.

"I'm sorry!" Elsa exclaimed.

"What drove you to send the spear at me?" Mael asked.

"You-you were attacking," she replied. "I knew you weren't a threat yourself, but-but the ice doesn't think in that way."

"The ice doesn't think at all. When I attacked, you perceived an enemy. Never apologize for that, because for the most part, when others attack you, they will most certainly be enemies and must be treated accordingly," Mael said.

"But that means I don't have control over these powers," she replied.

"It means you aren't as aware as you _could_ be. Try again, and this time don't focus your attention on the threat, focus it on the caster. The ice will take care of the threat. It's me you have to worry about," Mael said. He send out another swarm, bigger and more vicious this time. Elsa immediately launched her attack, eyes watching everything but the caster. She didn't realize the mistake until she heard the ice shatter and saw particles raining down. She cringed, looking over at Mael who had again had to defend himself. "Again," Mael said. Elsa, getting frustrated, did her best to focus this time. Mael sent out the biggest swarm yet. This time, though, Elsa's eyes were fixed on _him_. Her ice, as she cast it, shot at everything she knew was a threat. The ice spear going for Mael, however, she disintegrated before focusing on the swarm of dark beasts again and finishing them off. "Well done," Mael said.

Elsa, lightly panting, smiled victoriously. "Again?" she asked.

"Later. Right now I want you to attack me. Hard. More powerfully than you have ever attacked anything before," Mael said. "You need to know how strong your powers can be before you can trust yourself with them. You trust your powers, but it's your trust in yourself that is waning."

"But what if I hurt you?" she questioned uneasily.

"I wouldn't worry about that," Mael answered. Elsa hesitated but finally nodded, closing her eyes and focusing a moment. Soon they flew open again. Her eyes were white. With a battle cry she unleashed the forces of her powers at Mael. Mael's eyes widened in shock. That was more powerful than he'd expected! He threw up a dark shield of locusts and crouched low, covering his face so as not to be rendered snow blind. He kept the locust shield up, closed his eyes, then suddenly unleashed a powerful force of his own that sent the snow scattering. Elsa gasped in amazement. Mael suddenly cancelled it and took on another form. The form of a polar bear of dark magic. He charged at her relentlessly. Elsa, eyes widening in fear, sent out an ice spike immediately before recalling he wasn't a threat and changing it to an icy cage, which shot up around the polar bear. The bear roared in rage, swiping at her. She looked at it in fear. It turned back, then, becoming Mael once more. She gawked at him in disbelief. "Forgive me if I frightened you," he said. "Most of my abilities are dark magic and animal or creature based, and so I had to make due." He looked around at the icy cage. Elsa dissipated it.

"That was… wow…" she breathed. He could shape shift! He nodded to her.

"Now, let it go," he said, a ghost of a smirk briefly crossing his lips.

She straightened up and immediately let loose with a tornado of snow and ice, rain and biting wind. He leapt back and formed a ball of dark energy that took on the form of thousands of flies, spinning around and letting it swirl around him and mingle with her ice. She was awed. It was beautiful to see! "Fire would go better," Mael remarked.

"Can you do fire?" she asked.

"No," he admitted.

"This works fine," Elsa replied, smiling and raising a pillar of ice beneath her. He responded by transforming into a dark eagle and flying upwards, hovering above her and attacking from there. She leapt to another pillar and shot a spear at him. He soared around it then landed on her first pillar, transforming into human form once more and sending out another ball of dark insects at her. She deflected it with a shield of ice that shattered but had kept the dark energy at bay. She leapt down until she was on the ground again. He leapt once and landed nimbly, calling forth a dragon which blew an energy column at her. She moved around it and sent a blizzard of snow at the dragon and Mael in turn, grinning excitedly. "This isn't the sort of magic I have trouble with," she said.

"Practicing your limits will help you to learn how far you can go before you start to lose your hold on it. When you know where that point is, we work from there," Mael said. "We work from there and soon, Queen Elsa, there will be very little you cannot do with snow and ice."

"A goddess of snow?" she playfully teased.

"That is not within any mortal's power, to become like a goddess. Or was your mother a goddess of snow?" Mael questioned half seriously half only figuratively.

"No. My aunt was pretty close, though," she answered. "If mother's stories are to be believed." Mael frowned suspiciously, glad she couldn't see the frown. Was she now? That was interesting. He would have to look into this 'aunt' of hers more at some point. It would help him get a better idea of what they were dealing with in Elsa. He let a pillar of dark gnats swirl around him. She sent her snow to it, their powers together forming a dark blizzard that ripped and screamed and tore anything it touched. Mael closed his eyes, feeling suddenly light headed, and gasped, collapsing to his knees and cancelling it all with a cry.

Frozen

Elsa gasped as everything stopped. She blinked a few times and looked at him. Concern leapt to her eyes. He wasn't moving from that kneeling position. She ran over to him. "Mael? Mael, are you alright?" she questioned.

He didn't answer a moment, looking at his hands. Finally he raised his head up to look at her. "I will be fine," he assured. "I was not born with these abilities, my queen… I was cursed with them… The cost they came with was great. This is just a side-effect of that cost… I can't go anymore. I need to rest." Rest or risk killing himself. He looked up at her. "And we have a meeting with Moren to attend to. More you than us."

Elsa's eyes widened in alarm. She'd almost forgotten! "Oh no, I have to hurry," she said, getting up and running for the door. She paused, however, and looked back. He still wasn't getting up. "Are you… going to be okay…?" she questioned uneasily.

"No, but I'll survive," he assured. Unfortunately. "Go on, Queen Elsa, I will be alright." Elsa hesitated. Part of her wanted to refuse, but finally she nodded and opened the door. "Oh death, rock me to sleep, bring me to quiet rest, let pass my weary, guiltless, ghost…" she heard him murmur from behind. A poem? She looked worriedly back. He had stopped speaking now. She cringed and left.


	12. Shadowy Vortex

Shadowy Vortex

( A/N: Now the story starts to pick up into more action based stuff. Well, more than what's already been happening. And we focus in on Hans and Elsa, for the most part, now. May actually put up another chapter today, seeing as this one is up so early.)

Elsa and Anna frowned as they looked over the kingdom from a balcony. "Wow, it was supposed to be a really nice day today. What gives?" Anna asked. "We can't do the skating or ice sculptures in this."

"We'll just delay them for tomorrow. I'll send out a decree and say the feast is rescheduled for today instead of tomorrow and tell them the skating and snow sculptures will take place when the dinner was supposed to," Elsa replied.

"That sounds good," Anna said with a smile. "Still kind of disappointing, though."

"I know, but there's not much else we _can_ do," Elsa answered, shrugging. "Go inform King Moren and the Princes the banquet will be today."

"Right," Anna replied, smiling. "Err, will Hans be there do you think?"

"I'm not sure, but I guess we'll find out later tonight," Elsa answered, smiling. Anna smiled back and went off to find the royals of the Southern Isles. Elsa watched after her then frowned, turning to look at the sky again. It was dark. Abnormally so. And colored in a way that made her very uneasy. She shifted. She didn't like this… Biting her lower lip, she decided she was probably being paranoid and shut the curtains so she wouldn't be distracted by the skies. She had preparations for tonight to make anyway.

Frozen

The dining hall was a bustle of activity as servants swooped from the kitchens to serve the feast to the guests. Everyone was merrily talking away and mingling. At the head of the table sat Elsa, smiling. She felt almost content. A little uneasy and nervous, but for the most part content. Anna sat to her right side, along the side of the table, Kristoff next to her. The two were animatedly discussing something she couldn't hear over the noise of clacking plates and bowls and utensils. She looked forward. On the opposite side of the table, the foot so to speak, sat Moren, silently and grimly keeping a close eye on his siblings, some of which were getting rowdy. And by some she meant Franz and Jürgen. Franz more than Jürgen. The triplets were starting to get pretty loud too, and the sort-of twins, who were alternately arguing something and discussing it while looking entirely too mischievous to sit well with Moren. Or her for that matter. She hoped Rhun and Duach behaved.

Hans was there too, though he ate little and had spoken not at all. He still looked ill and really very tired. Also he was avoiding anyone and everyone's eyes tonight, not least of all hers. Moren was keeping Hans close at his side and constantly monitoring his baby brother. Mael was next to Hans in case Hans should show signs of taking a turn for the worse. She felt a little offended at how hyper-attentive and suspiciously Moren was looking around. He was very… guarded. As if any moment he expected someone to try and poison him or stab him in the back. Almost paranoid but not quite. She would guess he hated crowds, hated social events, and that on the Southern Isles he and his siblings were probably cooped up in that palace like she had been in hers most of her life. Them by choice rather than necessity. At least the more paranoid of the brothers. Hans, Jürgen, Franz, Iscawin, Duach; they all seemed the ones that were restless and wanted no part of being cooped up ever. Which would explain why they left so often. Justic was more the type to leave by necessity rather than by choice. She would guess any of the aforementioned brothers would have been more than happy to take his place as ambassador.

It wasn't long before feasting became dancing again. Hans had no part in it, nor did Moren or Mael. Mael looked… distracted. And not in a good way. Moren was more concerned with making sure Hans wasn't going to drop dead before his trial, which would take place the day after tomorrow's closing festivities. Elsa shifted uneasily and looked down. She didn't relish passing sentence on the prince, but she knew it had to be done. Hans could not get away with what had happened in Arendelle. Her gaze hardened at the memory. The night after tomorrow night, she and his brothers and Anna and Kristoff—considering Kristoff even showed up, he liked to slip out of things like this as he felt very out of place in such dealings—would talk about what an alternate punishment for Hans could be, as well as talk out future political relations between their two nations. She sighed in frustration. There was so much to do. She had to stop thinking about it and enjoy the last couple days of festivities. She might as well have this bit of fun before it was work time again. Iscawin came to her and offered his hand for a dance. She smiled and took it, letting him lead her out onto the dance floor.

Frozen

Moren looked intently at Mael, who was staring ahead at nothing with a glassy look in his eyes. His skin was ashen. Moren pursed his lips. That was never good. And now that they knew what he was and why this happened… Yeah, it was less than good. Hans was looking at Mael curiously now, morbidly fascinated with his sibling's ability. "Mael?" Hans finally dared ask.

"Hush, Hans, let him wait it out," Moren said. Hans frowned at him in annoyance but said nothing again, simply turning back to Mael.

Mael soon blinked, though his gaze didn't turn from the dancers. "Something is here that shouldn't be…" he hollowly stated. "Something…. Something very, very bad approaches…" He suddenly seemed to realize what he'd said. His eyes widened and he shot to his feet. "It's him!" he exclaimed in sudden terror, and in less than a second Hans and Moren were on their feet.

"What?!" Moren demanded.

"How?!" Hans shot. And did it have to do with the dark voice he had heard in his head as he had been taking Mael's place at the stake?

"What does it matter?" Mael bit sharply. "Moren, we must warn the queen! These people, they have to get out of here! This kingdom must be locked down or _something_! It's…"

Suddenly there were the sounds of horrified shrieks as the windows in the ballroom suddenly and without warning shattered! Guests scrambled to get out of the way of the falling shards of glass, and all at once the ballroom went dark as the candles were dissipated. Elsa, dancing with Iscawin, sharply turned with a gasp. Her eyes widened and she pulled away from him, hurrying towards the scene to see what was happening.

"Queen Elsa, get these people out of here, now!" Moren commanded. "Your kingdom is in danger! The village…"

"Elsa, something's in the city!" Anna screamed in terror. Elsa sharply looked over at Anna and raced to her side at a shattered window. She looked out and paled. Darkness had surrounded it and people were screaming in the streets, fleeing from some unknown and unseen force that tore through the crowds and rattled the doors and windows, sometimes even breaking in! Her lips parted in horror, her eyes wide. What was this?

"Brothers, to me!" Moren shouted towards his siblings. They didn't protest, looking on in terror. They fled to his side immediately and spun to look at the shadowy creatures suddenly tearing through the patrons and attacking or taking whatever they could! Above, a vortex slowly began to open.

"It can't be. Tell me it isn't…" Jürgen began.

"It is," Mael breathed, as pallid as the dead.

"Moren, what are we supposed to do?!" Kelin-Sel fearfully questioned his brother.

"Run," Moren ordered. "Get out of this place!"

"We can't leave these people to fight it alone!" Iscawin protested.

"It isn't them they want!" Moren shouted back.

"But it's them they're taking!" Iscawin argued. "I'm not standing by!" Immediately he drew his sword and raced towards one of the shadowy things.

"Iscawin!" Duach shouted after his sibling.

"Dammit," Rhun whispered under his breath. Quickly he raced to help his brother, along with Duach.

"Listen to me, damn you all! To save them we have to draw it off!" Moren insisted, now fearful.

"There's no going back now, Moren. They won't hear us and we're not abandoning them alone. Not anymore," Jürgen reasoned with his brother. Which was odd because Jürgen was _never_ the voice of reason.

Moren looked reluctant but then sighed and nodded. "Then we will fight or fall together," he murmured quietly. Immediately the rest of them raced into the fray to help try and protect the people of Arendelle. Hans stood rooted to the spot, unsure whether he was more disgusted and appalled at the display or awed and shocked at it. His gaze hardened. Arendelle wasn't their problem anymore. He looked around the ballroom and his eyes softened uneasily again. But all these people… He looked towards the vortex. It was drawing them towards it. Into it. Where it brought them god only knew. He shifted and looked at the sword he forgotten he'd drawn. Finally he sighed. He hadn't stood by and let the people freeze to death when Arendelle was frozen in potentially eternal winter, and he wouldn't stand by now. Contrary to popular belief, he _had_ actually given a damn about Elsa's people. Maybe not as much as he'd cared about smoothing his transition to power, but enough to flat out defy the Duke of Weselton and a good many other powerful delegates who would have made that transition for him even easier still, through sheer political force alone. He shook his head and shot forward into the battle.

Kristoff frantically was beating back a shadow-whatever that was attacking him. At least he believed they were shadows, but he sense something disturbingly familiar about them. These weren't shadows, part of him said. They were just in the guise of shadows. These were something far more dangerous. He kicked the one he'd been fighting back and turned to block the attack of another. He heard a third lunge from behind and turned with a gasp. He couldn't block it in time! Suddenly, though, it was attacked from the side and sent sliding. Kristoff's eyes widened. "Hans!" he exclaimed on recognizing his savior.

Hans, sensing his confusion, looked over at Kristoff. He was silent for a moment, then said, "This goes so far beyond resentment and hatred that you don't even know. Right now there's no place for either. There can't be." He turned back to the shadow. "It can only be us and those things now."

Kristoff tensed up at the words. Ooh, this didn't sound good. He looked towards the broken window then suddenly gasped, paling. "Hans, look out!" he shouted, turning to the prince sharply. Hans started and spun to the window. He could hardly gasp before the thing that was there suddenly sent out a powerful attack at him. "Hans!" Kristoff exclaimed. Hans cried out as the attack struck him full force, sending him flying back. The prince cracked his head against the marble floor, stayed conscious just long enough to see that Kristoff was personally taking on the figure in the window - who had apparently forgotten about Hans in the wake of this new attack - and then there was blackness…

Frozen

Elsa, mouth agape, tried desperately to fight back this threat to her people, but her powers did precious little to stop the swirling vortex of blackness that was steadily growing. Moren was at her side. "What is this?!" she demanded.

Moren's expression was grave. "Something we cannot escape," he finally answered. He paused, lowering his sword. "And it will not stop until it has _us_."

"What?" Elsa breathed.

Moren looked over at her seriously. Finally he sighed and looked towards the vortex. "I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry," he hollowly said to the queen. "I never thought it would go beyond our shores. Not so fast as this... It will end now, Elsa. I promise you. It will end now."

"Moren, what are you talking about? What are you going to…?" Elsa began. Suddenly the king returned his blade to its sheath and ran directly towards the vortex. "Moren!" she cried out. Without a second thought the king leapt towards the vortex. Into it. Then he was gone. She heard his siblings shouting his name frantically and looked across the way. Mael watched the vortex in silence. He looked at her then smiled ruefully. Apologetically. Smile vanishing, he too ran towards the vortex to the sound of his siblings calling his name. He leapt into it without looking back. Then the other princes were silent, as if they'd caught on to what was happening. She watched in horror as they began to approach it voluntarily, one by one. Iscawin looked back at her and gave her a sad smile before following his siblings last of all.

Unfortunately, before Iscawin was even half way towards said vortex, Elsa heard Anna scream and gasped, turning. "Anna!" Kristoff was calling, holding her close as the vortex grew larger, drawing her towards it.

"Anna!" Elsa cried out, forgetting about freezing the vortex or the shadows, forgetting about the doomed princes throwing themselves into that godforsaken whatever, instead running to help her sister. Kristoff, seeing her coming, suddenly kissed Anna and thrust her towards Elsa.

"Kristoff!" Anna screamed as the vortex took him at the same time Iscawin leapt into it. Elsa grabbed Anna's hand, trying to pull her away from the danger. "No! Elsa, let go!" Anna pled, reaching towards Kristoff.

"It's too late, Anna!" Elsa replied. "I have to get you out of here!"

"I'm slipping!" Anna sobbed, feeling her hand pulling away from her sibling's as the suction began to take hold of her again.

"I won't let go, Anna!" Elsa exclaimed. She knew even as she spoke, though, that it wasn't going to be a choice. "Anna!" she cried out. Anna slipped from her hand. "Anna, no!" Elsa screamed as her sibling gave a shriek while being pulled into the dark vortex. She was about ready to leap after her sister, and would have, had not someone caught her around the waist and pulled her back. "No! I have to save her, please!" Elsa begged.

"No, Queen Elsa, it is too dangerous! There is nothing to be done for Anna now," the one who had caught her, Kai she realized, said. Sure enough the vortex closed as soon as it took its fill. The shaking stopped shortly after, and the blackness dissipated, leaving behind only devastation and those fortunate enough to have escaped it. Which was next to no one, at least in the palace. What was left outside in the kingdom who could know? And worst of all, Elsa realized with a chill that if not for the princes throwing themselves into it—it had wanted them? Why?—this would have been so much worse. Soon enough they would see what had become of the outside. Elsa began to weep. She was gone. Anna was gone! She didn't even know if her sister was still alive. "My queen, I am sorry I could not save the princess," Kai regretfully said. "I have failed you." Elsa didn't reply, continuing to cry.

"Your majesty, the people are calling for their queen," Gerda, one of the only others that had escaped unscathed, said, turning from a broken window gravely. Elsa looked slowly up, stress and sorrow in her eyes. How could she console them when she could hardly console herself? She sniffed, rising. She had to appear strong. Her people needed her. She composed herself as best she could and moved towards the balcony gracefully and boldly.

Frozen

Hans groaned, eyes fluttering as he held his head in his hands, slowly regaining consciousness. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter then opened them, carefully sitting up though his head screamed in protest. What had just…? His eyes flew open wide as he recalled. The vortex, his brothers! He gasped and was about to crawl out from behind the column when he heard soft weeping. He froze, carefully peering out in time to hear Gerda's words. He stayed still and silent. He watched Elsa stand despite her own suffering. He saw her move towards the balcony. He had to give her credit, she was being strong. The question was would she hold up? He saw Kai and Gerda leave then rose, moving out from behind the pillar and following the queen carefully.

Elsa took a breath then walked onto the balcony, looking out over her kingdom and people. Her heart sank. Homes were in ruins, families had lost members, mourning and fear were all around. "People of Arendelle, listen to me! I know you're frightened, I know you've lost so much, but I promise you that…" Elsa began.

"What do you promise? Will your promise bring back my children that that thing took away?!" a sobbing woman screamed.

"Will it give me my home back?!" a man furiously questioned, shaking his fist.

Elsa, at first flustered, quickly recovered. "I will do everything in my power to compensate and help all of you!" she replied.

"Not good enough!" a man shouted. "What will you do about the creatures that took my fiancée and parents?! Where are they?!'

"Where are those things? Where did they originate? What will you do about _any_ of it?! Bring our lives back!" a woman shouted.

"I-I don't know where it is or if it can be found," Elsa stammered, feeling her heart sinking. Immediately there was uproar and people began throwing things at the balcony. Elsa gasped, stepping back. They were going to riot! Suddenly there was a presence next to her and sharply she looked over, ready to defend herself. She started on seeing who it was. "You!" Elsa exclaimed. Hans!

"Silence!" Hans shouted down at the crowd, voice powerful, strong, and unrelenting. Almost threatening. Still they grew louder. Hans scowled then drew a pistol, firing into the air. The bang shut them up instantly. Hans glared down at the citizens strikingly, dangerously, ensuring none would get cocky. "I said _shut_ up!" he viciously snapped at them, eyes blazing. They fell silent. Hans made sure they'd stay that way then looked in the direction the black clouds were disappearing in. He turned back to them. "I know where it is, I know _what_ it is, and I promise you that it can be killed. And will be." Just not easily, he inwardly added. And possibly not any time soon, but that remained to be seen. "That thing took my brothers, took the princess, took your families and destroyed your homes! Now I'll return the favor." Elsa looked as shocked as her people were. As they cheered Hans's words, he turned to her and coldly said, "If you'll allow me to. You wanted me dead anyway."

"How do you know so much about it?" Elsa suspiciously questioned.

"Because long ago, when I was little, it did this same thing to the Southern Isles. _He_ did," Hans answered. "The loss of life, the missing, and the damage was massive, and it was all because it wanted my family. It's because we were here that it came and took your sister and my brothers… So I'm going to find him and I'm going to end this once and for all. Not for you and your kingdom, not for Anna, Kristoff, or my brothers, but because it _has_ to go. Permanently. For the sake of _everything_."

Elsa glared at him. "Get out of my kingdom. Go home and take the throne like you've always wanted, but don't play hero and act like you're worth something."

"Listen you little…" he began before reigning in his temper and taking a breath. He looked at her again. "I'm not playing here. This goes _beyond_ heroes and villains, beyond good and evil, beyond you and me. You have _no_ idea of what's coming or what the creature that did this is capable of. If it's back, there might not even _be_ a kingdom for me to go back to… And soon there'll be no kingdom for you to rule either." Elsa's eyes widened, fear and concern coming to them as she tensed up. Hans turned, entering the castle again. Elsa looked down at the reassured and disappearing crowd. If nothing else, Hans had saved them from a riot and mass panic. She bit her lower lip then followed the prince.

Frozen

"What are we dealing with?" she asked. Hans rolled his eyes and kept walking like he hadn't heard. "Hans!" she called sharper. He paused and looked down. "What are we dealing with?" she repeated.

He held the bridge of his nose, shutting his eyes, then turned opening them again. " _I'm_ dealing with a creature beyond mortal understanding that likes tricks, the Menhir, the Dolmen, and bridges."

Her eyes widened. "The fae," she realized. Trolls most likely, given the bridge remark, but certainly not the trolls Kristoff was raised by.

"Of a sort. Kind of. Part fae, at least. It's a long story and I'm not telling it. Not now. There's no time," Hans answered. " _You_ , on the other hand, are dealing with your frightened people."

"No. I'm coming. My _sister_ is out there," she said.

"Oh you're coming are you? Tell me, your majesty. Who'll sooth and take care of your people, then?" Hans challenged.

Eyes narrowed, she answered, "A distant relative and her husband who happen to be here. There's no way I'm letting you near Anna without me. Not after what you did."

Hans scowled, eyes narrowing, but she wasn't intimidated. He scoffed, turning his back on her and starting off again. "I'm not waiting for you to get your affairs in order."

"You won't have to," she replied, writing a message for Rapunzel as she followed Hans. She placed it on a stand and came up alongside him.

Frozen

Hans quickly and deftly saddled up Sitron then swung up onto his back. He looked over at Elsa. Elsa had formed a horse of ice and snow. His eyes widened. "Whoa…" he said. Sitron, catching sight of it, whinnied, perking up and trying to go for the snow mare. "Whoa! Hey, hey, easy. Down boy. Hey!" Hans insisted. It snorted and whinnied at him in annoyance, trying to go for the mare again. "Hey!" Hans snapped, seizing the reigns and roughly pulling the horse's head around to face him. "Don't think I won't turn you into a gelding. It seemed terrible when I was a teenager, not so much now," he threatened. Sitron snorted, putting on an innocent look.

Elsa smirked to herself, mounting her ice steed then frowning as she rode up to Hans. "Let's get this done," she said.

"Don't think it'll be easy as that," Hans cautioned, nodding. Immediately the two galloped away from the palace and Arendelle, following the dark clouds far in the distance.


	13. The Troll and the Mirror

The Troll and the Mirror

(A/N: Second up today, given the first went up so early. Kind of a major Easter Egg to be found in this chapter. It probably won't take much to guess what it is or how it ties in to the Westergaard family. Take if as you will, either as just a reference or as a genuine tie-in. In my defense, if you think about it, it kind of makes sense. Helps that when you search 'Southern Isles' on a browser, and specify you're looking for the real life thing, Scotland pops up. Sort of where the Easter Egg idea came in, though I think the Southern Isles are more a reference to Denmark, given Hans's namesake was Danish.)

Anna moaned softly. Her head was pounding. What had hit her? She heard voices. "She's waking up," one familiar but not often heard voice said. Wasn't that Rhun?

"Thank heaven," another breathed. "Finally." Kelin-Sel, she noted. Was she dreaming? What would they be doing in her room?

"Anna? Princess Anna," a third voice said. Iscawin.

"Anna! Anna, honey, open your eyes, please!" a voice she knew intimately pled. Kristoff! Anna's eyes flickered open and fell on her companions. She started. With Kristoff were the Princes of the Southern Isles! Minus one. Hans. She bolted upright like a shot and gasped in pain. "Easy," Mael commanded. "You struck your head and must rest."

"Where are we? What was that? What happened? Where's Elsa?!" Anna fearfully asked.

"The Queen is alright. She wasn't taken by the creatures," Moren stated. Nor had Hans been. He was unsure if that was a good or bad thing, given the two were now stuck together. For once, though, he was thankful Hans was the most easily forgotten prince. It seemed even the one who had taken them had forgot there had been a thirteenth brother. At least for now.

"What about Hans?" Anna asked.

Moren was silent. Finally he sighed and answered, "He escaped too."

Anna paled. "You mean your psycho brother is alone with my _sister_?!" she freaked. "I don't think so! How do we get out of this place?"

"We don't," Connyn bluntly replied. "We're in the hands of something with power you don't even know. There won't be _any_ getting out of this place."

"Sure there will be. There always is," Anna replied, scouting around for anything that could possibly be used to get out.

Calcas smirked. "She's spunky," he remarked.

"She's my fiancée. Stay away from her," Kristoff bit, frowning at him. Calcas innocently grinned, shrugging. Kristoff rolled his eyes then started helping Anna look for a way out. The princes exchanged looks. Damned if _they_ sat by and didn't at least try to get away. They too began to start strategizing or finding possible escape routes.

Frozen

Hans reigned in Sitron by a creek and slid off of his back. He patted the horse and led it to said creek to drink. Elsa remained seated on her ice mare, staring after the clouds worriedly. "How many days do you think it will take to catch up?" she asked him.

Hans looked in that direction, frowning. "Four, maybe five? Perhaps less. It depends on how fast we ride and what obstacles get in the way. How long it'll take to get them out _alive_ has yet to be seen," he answered.

"I'm sure you wouldn't shed a tear if any of them died," Elsa replied.

"You have no idea how right you are," Hans answered. "And if I happen to lose you along the way, I won't be protesting."

Elsa's eyes narrowed coldly. "Unfortunately it's more likely I'll lose you, and sadly I can't afford that. Not if you know what we're facing," she said. "After all, the winters in Arendelle can be frigid. The cold doesn't bother _me_ , Hans. What about you?"

Hans chuckled icily and turned to her. "Oh don't worry about _me_ , your majesty. After all, I'm the one with the weapons to defend against the monsters," Hans answered. "Up to and including you."

She started, mouth dropping in anger. Did he just call her a monster? "How dare you!" she shouted at him.

"How dare I what?" Hans retorted sharply, turning his back on her and wandering towards the forest to find wood for the fire they'd need when evening came. "Sorry to say it but out here, Elsa, you're not a queen. You're a liability, and I don't have to treat you with any more respect than I would afford any other enemy. Fact of the matter is you can't make it without me, and as much as I hate to say it, you'll probably prove invaluable in this quest in ways I couldn't hope to be, so really all we have to worry about out here is surviving each other and everything will be rainbows and butterflies."

"The only monster out here is you, Prince of the Southern Isles!" she shot sharply.

"You know what, you're probably right," Hans answered, turning back to her with a smile, opening his arms wide. "I'm the monster. Have at me, your majesty. After all, we all know what happens to rulers when monsters are left alive. Smite me, oh mighty queen."

"Don't tempt me," Elsa coldly answered.

"Look, I get you hate me. Trust me, the feeling's mutual. The only difference is you have every reason to despise my guts and the only reason I have to despise you is because you and your sister got in the way."

 _Liar, you know it is more than that..._

Immediately Hans denied the voice and continued. "I hurt you. Badly. Anna too. You know, I don't even regret it. Resent it, yes, regret it, no. When all's said and done, I know the odds are you'll never forgive me even if I _beg_ your forgiveness, or if you do it'll take a long time. I can't say I'm happy about this situation we're stuck in, but in the end this is beyond you and me, your majesty. This goes beyond Arendelle and the Southern Isles. This goes beyond treachery, pain, deceit, grudges, revenge, or even the past. It isn't about us, it isn't about me, it isn't about you. What we're dealing with… there's no room for any of that… we can't save your people and our families without one another," he said.

"I'd be more than happy to try!" Elsa shot.

"Elsa, you don't have _any_ idea what's coming. It may cost us everything and everyone here. Our _kingdoms_. Now maybe you haven't noticed, with my twelve brothers coming at you all at once and me suddenly coming back into your life like this, but I have people I have to protect. As little as they deserve it," he said. "And I know for a fact you do too, so let's drop this game and try to at least tolerate each other's presence. I said things, you said things, let's stop that now and focus on the task at hand. This can't be about what happened between you and me, or me and Anna, or all three of us. Am I asking you to forgive me and let it go? _Hell_ no. I get that there are some things that can't be forgiven. All I'm asking is that you help them. Not me, but them." He paused and looked towards the black clouds in the distance. She was quiet, digesting all he had said and hating him all the more. He didn't regret it? He didn't regret nearly murdering…? Ugh, no, she couldn't even think about it. If she did she'd kill him in his sleep. "There are people my brothers need to get home to, too," he suddenly said, and she quickly looked over at him, a little surprised. Had he alluded to families? He met her eyes again. "I may hate them, but despite that, I will stop at nothing to try and get my siblings back. Even if it's going to fail. Put aside what happened between us, at least for now, because something so much worse is coming. Something so much worse is _here_ …"

Elsa was quiet. Finally she sighed and bowed her head. "Fine," she answered. "Fine. For now. But when this is over, mark my words you'll be judged accordingly. Not only for your actions then, but for your words and actions from this point forth until your trial." He harrumphed and turned back to the forest, going into it to find wood and hopefully food to add to what they'd brought along.

Elsa sighed and slid off of the snow mare's back. It nickered at her, nibbling her hair. She smiled and gently pushed it away. It snorted in derision. Sitron looked up from the stream, checked the woods for his master, then immediately pranced over to the snow mare, putting on a show. The mare watched curiously. Elsa couldn't help but giggle, covering her mouth at the stallion's antics. She looked to the stream and went to it. She should probably stock up on their water supply. Who knew how many streams they'd pass by before there would be no more? She looked towards the dark clouds worriedly. "Be safe, Anna," she pled softly.

Frozen

Anna collapsed back onto the ground panting. "It's no use! Give it up already. There's no escaping this dungeon!" Franz shot to her. "You're going to kill yourself trying."

"There's… always… a way," Anna panted.

"Then where the heck is it?!" Franz snapped.

"Well-well maybe if-if Kristoff and I weren't the only ones trying…" Anna began.

"Even Kristoff's given up, Anna! We're doomed, all of us! Doomed, okay?" Justic snapped. "We can't save ourselves and for all we know Hans and Elsa have killed each other or gone to war."

"Oh for the love of… You're all so _helpless_!" Anna shouted at them. "How have you managed to survive this long?"

"Helpless?! We'll show you helpless, you ungrateful little…" Duach began.

"Hey, back off!" Kristoff snapped.

"Stop it! We're going to end up killing each other before the troll king does at this rate!" Kelin-Sel cut in. "Now look, we can't give up. What's the worst that can happen? We get killed? We're dead already."

"Had it been Elsa taken with us, we would be out already," Rhun suddenly said. All eyes went to him. He was tapping the walls, feeling them, and examining them.

"What do you mean?" Connyn questioned.

"These walls. They've weakened over years. It must have been a long time since the hobgoblin has made shelter here. They're brittle, in disrepair. Enough force would break these down. If Elsa were here and she froze the walls of this place…" Rhun began.

Anna's eyes widened. "They'd crack and be broken down like they were in _our_ dungeons," she realized.

"But Elsa _isn't_ here. It's only us," Moren said.

"And my abilities will not save us," Mael said. "The most I could do is conjure a giant of dark magic and hope to weaken them."

"No… It might be enough," Rhun said. "And even if it isn't, what have we got to lose? Kelin-Sel's right. We die if we do, we die if we don't."

"Or we could wait for rescue," Coth remarked dryly. "More chance of surviving."

"But less chance that Hans will. You want that on your conscience? Our brother's blood, and maybe Elsa's?" Calcas asked.

Coth's eyes filled with worry and he nodded, rising. "Let's do this."

Frozen

She had sat down by the stream and was looking towards the mountains when Hans returned with wood tied in bundles for the trip. She hardly spared him a glance, and the one she spared was to be sure he hadn't come back with a weapon drawn in an attempt to assassinate her. She knew he wouldn't—as he'd said, for now they needed each other—but she was still cautious. Who knew? He was the type to decide suddenly that he could take his chances alone. "They're following the path I ran," Elsa remarked.

Hans raised an eyebrow and looked in that direction. "Then we'll have something of a base when we reach your ice castle," he answered. He looked over at Sitron and gave the horse an unimpressed look, noticing the stallion trying to court a mare made out of ice and snow. Oh for the love of… It couldn't even _be_ in heat and his own was after it. He looked towards the mountains again. "It looks like it's a couple of peaks over from where your ice castle is situated. Good. Gives us some distance." He dropped the wood and went to the stream as well, sitting next to her and watching the skies.

"What is it?" Elsa asked. "What was that thing?" She could practically sense the change in the air. Hans was suddenly much more on guard… Maybe even uneasy… She looked over at him. "Hans?" she suspiciously asked.

He tensed up then turned to her. "Let's set up camp and get an early start tomorrow," he said, changing the subject. He rose and started away.

"No, no, no, I don't think so! This involves me and my people now, as much as it involved you and yours," she replied, standing as well.

"You think I care? It's none of your business," Hans replied.

"Why won't you tell me?!" she demanded sharply.

"Because I don't know!" he snapped back. "I mean I know, but I just…" He sighed, drawing a hand through his hair in a frustrated manner. "It's hard to explain."

"Try," she replied.

"For the love of… What does it _matter_ to you? When we get there your job is to get the prisoners out. _I'll_ handle _it_."

"What is _it_?! Ugh, why are you so _aggravating_?!" she demanded, frustratedly holding her hair before releasing it.

"Why are you so _nagging_?" Hans said.

"That thing has my sister and my people, Hans!" she snapped.

"Yeah? Well they aren't what he wants!" Hans replied.

"Then what _does_ he want?" Elsa demanded.

"He wants _us_!" Hans replied. "He wants me and my brothers and that is it!"

"Why? Help me understand," she said.

"Elsa, _I_ don't even know why," Hans replied.

Elsa took a breath, trying to calm down. "Okay. Okay… Who knows, then?" Elsa questioned, trying to be calmer.

"If I were to guess? I'd say the big three," Hans answered.

"The what?" Elsa incredulously asked.

"Moren, Jürgen, and Mael," Hans stated with a sigh. "But they aren't here so I can tell you precious little."

"Tell me what you can, then. If I'm going to help you, you have to let me know what I'm helping you _against_. Please," Elsa answered.

Hans was quiet. Finally he drew his hand through his hair again with another sigh. "Fine. Fine… I'll tell you while we're setting up camp," he answered.

Frozen

An eerie shadow passed over the walls. The prisoners were dead silent, hardly daring to breathe. Finally it moved on. "What was that?" Kristoff whispered finally, when they dubbed it safe to start trying escape again.

"A palace guardian, a monster conjured by _him_ ," Jürgen quietly said. "It appeared when the walls were being attacked by Mael's giant… It may be the spirit of this castle. It will react to damage done to any part of it as if the palace was its own body, because in a sense it is."

"What is this thing we're dealing with?! It can make something like _that_?!" Anna freaked at the brothers. It was painfully obvious they knew more than they were letting on. It was also painfully obvious they didn't know as much as they wished they knew, because they were looking to Moren, Jürgen, and Mael for the answers. It seemed if anyone understood what this thing that had taken them was, it was the three eldest.

The king was holding the bridge of his nose, stressed. Jürgen was pretending he was deaf, apparently, and blind too. Mael, though, looked ready to talk. "I told you the story," he answered. "This is the work of the troll."

"The trolls aren't evil!" Kristoff insisted.

"Not all of them, no," Mael answered. "This one, though, _is_." He looked towards the ceiling—there were no windows to look out—and continued. "Surely, when you went with Hans, you heard part of the tale, Kristoff."

Kristoff shifted uneasily and looked down. "They mentioned a mirror. They mentioned something that called itself hobgoblin, troll king, wicked sprite, amongst other titles. Grand Pabby told me the one they referred to was the offspring of a troll and a sprite. That's it."

"Yes… It was a being too smart for its own good with power to match," Mael said. "It claims neither to be a troll or sprite, but something in between. That is why he took the term hobgoblin, because it referred to him as neither, though troll is the most familiar term… Grand Pabby mentioned me too, didn't he?"

Kristoff was quiet. Finally he sighed, bowing his head. "Yeah… some kind of disturbing things too…"

"You don't know the half of it, and I was far from the only one," Mael answered. "We called him the once-man, because more often than not he took on the form of a man… and then he didn't… Then he was something else… He was the one who cursed me with my powers."

"You're not telling us everything. Not even half of it," Anna said. "What about this mirror? What about why it wants you? Why is any of this a thing?"

"At the moment the mirror's irrelevant," Jürgen stepped in. "No one here could tell you more about it than Hans anyway. He'd become enraptured, actually almost obsessed, about the properties of the mythic mirror before he departed for Arendelle. What its purpose was, _why_ it was, everything _about_ it. He stumbled across mention of it in some long forgotten scroll and was immediately intrigued, but again, the mirror isn't our concern now."

"So then why does this thing want you?" Anna asked.

"Because there is a curse on our family dating back thousands of years into medieval—perhaps even dark ages—Scotland and Denmark. There is a powerful force there, and in that time there was a dealing with powers that shouldn't have ever been crossed. The troll king loves power," Moren said. "That he could have opportunity to bring it out, or to use us to awaken things best left never awakened again, tempted him."

"I happened to be the one he caught," Mael quietly said. "And in me he awakened power like that of what he sought, but it wasn't enough. He wanted the source of it. He wanted the force behind our curse and our bloodline's historical ties."

"He tried to get Mael to be his vassal, so to speak. He desired to use him for his own gain. Mael fought back, with us, and the wicked sprite was driven away. It returned when Hans was small, to take a try at the youngest and most defenseless prince. He failed then too," Moren said.

"Now he's back for round three," Jürgen bluntly stated. "Because as it turns out Hans is just the sort of mentality he needs to continue the hex on our family."

"What hex?" Anna questioned suspiciously. The princes were silent once more. "Please," Anna pled. The siblings exchanged looks then sighed and turned to her once more.

"We're bait, that's all you need to know," Rhun said.

"They deserve to know more than that," Kelin-Sel said. "They need to. To understand."

They looked to Moren for direction. The king was quiet. Finally, though, he closed his eyes with a sigh. "Then speak to it," he commanded. Mael nodded and turned to Anna and Kristoff. Taking a breath, he continued…

Frozen

The camp had been set up. Hans had yet to speak, but Elsa didn't press. He was deep in thought, she realized. Which meant odds were he would tell her. When he felt ready to. It wasn't until they had fully finished setting up camp and sat back—him against a boulder and her against a tree trunk—that he finally showed signs of speaking. "There's…" he began. He trailed off. She was quiet, watching the horses playing by the stream while she waited. "He came for us because of a curse on our family. Ages old, dating back to Medieval Scotland."

"I thought you were Danish," she remarked.

"We are," Hans answered. "Three quarters Danish, that is. The Southern Isles are located in the North Sea, as you know, and is a kingdom that both Scotland and Denmark have claims on. Mother was Danish, father was half Danish on his mother's side half Scottish on his father's. Denmark wanted the whole kingdom. The Danes were the majority population there anyway and they decided it was in their right to possess it. However, Scotland wanted to maintain a foothold in the islands, not willing to give them up. So father - at the time king of Scotland, in the wake of his father's death - paid a visit to Denmark, identifying himself as a Danish noble. There he met mother, a princess who the king and queen were looking to marry off. Preferably to a Danish noble, because the Southern Isles were to be under her reign when they passed. Marrying a noble gave her the control and power. Her husband would be a mere consort, if that. However, if she married a prince or king—namely one from Scotland— _he_ would be the one with the power, and their plan to annex the Southern Isles would fall through. Mother and father married and then he revealed what he really was. Denmark was outraged, Scotland was victorious and the Southern Isles would continue to belong to both lands. This curse reaches back through father's family line."

"Go on," Elsa prompted.

"Our family has a long history of producing a large number of heirs, more often than not all, or mostly, male. Triplets or twins—but mostly triplets—are commonplace. If there are girls, there are usually only one or two. Years ago, four sons were born to one of the two clans father is descended from. One of them, though, was wicked and cruel. He lusted for power and nothing else mattered to him… He loved power more than he loved even family… So he went to a witch, and he asked her to give him the strength of ten men, or something like that. Mael's the historian. He would be more accurate in explaining this. She warned him to rethink his priorities, in so many words, and decide fast whether it was power he wanted more, or to fix the rift between him and his brothers… He chose power… He gained the strength of ten men. And a bear. Which incidentally was the form he ended up in. Again, I can't remember the details. Mael would, but I can't. What I understand is he murdered his brothers in cold blood and continued on his reign of terror, razing villages, devouring women and children and men… Not even the power of a whole clan could bring him down. Only one with the strength of another bear, or something like that. An ancestress of ours, from the second clan father was descended from, was the one that defeated him. More, the standing stones ended him. His spirit was set free, but the curse remained. From then on, whenever a situation similar to what happened to the four brothers back then occurred in the family line, and a descendant made the same choices as the original perpetrator, they took on the form of the bear. It's said that every few generations it happens. A choice is given, made, and another takes on the bear form. It's said it will continue happening for all eternity until finally one given that same choice chooses family over power and breaks the spell for good. My brothers and I happen to be the generation the curse is supposed to fall on."

"It will happen in you," Elsa realized, eyes widening.

"Or so that's what the troll king thinks," Hans bitterly replied.

"And he's right, isn't he?" Elsa murmured.

"I'm not one to roll over and submit to destiny," Hans replied.

"Unless you want to," she answered.

"This conversation is over," Hans said, laying down at the base of the rock.

"Maybe I _should_ finish you," Elsa remarked. "For the sake of your family. For _all_ our sakes."

"I'm not moving to stop you," Hans said, and Elsa was taken aback. Had he… had he actually just _said_ that? "When this is over, when they're free, you _have_ my permission to kill me. Or try," he suddenly added, and if possible she felt even more stunned. "Not like anyone would mourn my passing anyway. Or be missing out on much of a life, dying this young."

She was quiet, watching him. " _You're_ afraid _too_ ," she realized. "Afraid the hobgoblin is right… You don't know what you'll choose, do you?" He was quiet. Bowing her head, she thought it over. "I've seriously thought about it, you know. About killing you."

"Then do it," Hans answered.

She was quiet. "I will if I have to," she finally replied.

"You'll have to," he stated bluntly.

She tilted her head. "You seem so sure you'll do this," she remarked. "You think you know yourself that well?"

"I _don't_ think I know myself anymore, and that's why I believe I _might_ go through with it," Hans answered. "I've worn so many masks that… Go to sleep, Elsa. Whatever has to happen, happens. Not like you'd care anyway."

She inwardly cringed at that and looked away. She wouldn't, she realized… She wouldn't shed a tear, and she felt _so_ guilty for that… "There are twelve others who _would_ ," she remarked.

He laughed sharply. "Yeah, because they've cared so much in the past. They would mourn me like you mourn a lost pet or distant relative. Maybe a few tears, maybe a few laments, but in the end it would take them a grand total of a week— _if_ that—to get over it."

"You know, you should try telling yourself they actually care. Maybe then you'd see they do!" Elsa shot. At least some of them.

"Oh for the love of…" Hans began, standing up and walking towards the forest agitatedly.

"Where are you going?" she called after him.

"Away from _you_! In the forest I might actually get some sleep!" he called back.

"You'll freeze to death!" she protested.

"At least I wouldn't ever have to see you or your sister again!" Hans called back.

"You want to be that way? Fine! Go freeze!" Elsa shouted. He didn't grace her with a reply, just disappeared into the forest. She sighed in frustration, massaging her temples. "Dammit, Hans," she whispered under her breath. She stood and quickly went after him, grabbing a blanket from their supplies. "At least take this!" she called after the prince. No reply. She made a frustrated sound and went after him.

Frozen

It took her about half an hour to find him again. By that time he was asleep against a snowdrift. She glared reproachfully at him, seriously considered waking him up and lecturing him, then decided she was too tired to deal with the man. With a sigh she went to him and laid the blanket over his body. She rose and turned to head back… only to realize she had no idea where she was. She frowned worriedly then cursed her luck. Of all the things to happen. She looked around, searching for the glow of the fire. Nothing. She shifted uneasily, biting her lower lip. If she tried to head back she might end up lost and never be found again. She turned back to the sleeping prince and shifted uneasily. Oh she was going to regret this in so many ways.

She fell to her knees at his side and quietly searched him for weapons. These she took off his person. If she was risking this, she was making darn sure he wouldn't wake up and kill her while she slept. She buried them beneath the snow, marking the spot, then moved next to him. Giving him a reproachful look, she got under the blanket, moving close to his side and leaning against it. Oh she was going to regret this in _so_ many ways. She was fully prepared for self-loathing in the morning, but at the moment she was just too tired and agitated with him to care. Shaking her head, she made herself comfortable at his side and closed her eyes to sleep.


	14. Reach the Mountain Pass

Reach the Mountain Pass

Hans was the first to wake up. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, not up for facing the day but knowing he had to, and opened them tiredly, blinking up at the sky. Well, he wasn't frozen to death. _That_ was a plus. If you could call it a plus. He'd expected to be colder than this on waking, though. Why…? Just then he tensed up, eyes widening. Suddenly he was aware there was a blanket on him, though that wasn't exactly what caused his sudden alarm. What caused him alarm was that he _also_ suddenly noticed there was a woman at his side. He almost dreaded to know. His eyes flickered over and he had a silent panic attack that took all his willpower to remain still for, besides a few squirms. He bit back a string of curses he wanted to let out and kept quiet. Really it would be her own fault if he woke her up with a freak out, but he remained as composed as he could force himself to be when his heart was racing about a mile a minute and panic was setting in.

He willed himself to take a deep breath and did so, slowly settling down. He took one more breath then looked over at her once more. She shifted slightly and his jaw twitched. He looked up towards the sky again. She yawned and stretched. _Dammit, dammit, dammit, she was waking up!_ He had half a mind to try and pull away from her, but he got the feeling he was too late for that. He heard her catch her breath. Yep. Too late. He stayed looking up at the sky. "I thought you said the cold never bothered you," Hans finally remarked.

She frowned at him. "I _am_ still human, Hans," she answered.

"If that's your excuse," he replied with a smirk.

"You disgust me," she bit with a scoff, moving away from his side and digging up his weapons.

Hans gave her a 'really?' look, but made no comment as to the hidden arms. "Why did you stay here anyway?" he questioned, sitting up.

Elsa blushed then looked awkwardly down, nibbling her lower lip. "Um… I kind of got lost," she mumbled. "I was… too busy trying to catch up with you and toss you the blanket to focus on where I was going. I thought you had probably been a little more careful than that and kept track, and if you did you were the only way I was finding my way back. I couldn't walk out into that forest in the dark. I would have never found my way _out_ again." Well, she probably could have eventually—raise an ice platform to see where she was, maybe call a blizzard to rip up a path to salvation for her, though that was extreme—but that wasn't the point.

"Lucky for you, you were right," Hans replied, picking up the blanket and folding it. "Let's get back to camp, then. Maybe catch something along the way for breakfast."

"Or we could hunt when we run out of our rations," Elsa said.

"If we fall down a ravine, hunting's the last thing we'll be doing. We'll only have what we brought to survive on," Hans pointed out.

"There's that. Or I could conjure up a snow beast and get it to take us to safety," Elsa replied.

"And if you died?" Hans asked.

"What happens to you then wouldn't be my concern or care," Elsa answered, shrugging and starting off.

"Yeah, but it'll very much be mine!" Hans called after her in annoyance. He sighed and caught up to her, leading the way back to camp.

Frozen

They gathered up their things in silence, mounted up, and headed out without words. There wasn't anything to be said. What mattered was reaching their destination and putting a stop to this wicked hobgoblin's games. After a time, Elsa grimaced and shifted uncomfortably. "I haven't ridden a horse for _years_ ," she said.

Hans raised an eyebrow, looking over at her. He smirked amusedly. "Getting saddle sores, your majesty?" he asked.

"Probably," she dryly answered, in no mood for games.

"Then rest. I can scout ahead for a bit," he said.

"And flee or leave me here to die? I don't think so," Elsa replied.

"We've been through this," Hans said to her coldly. "I can't afford to have you dead."

"No, but you can afford to run and escape trial," she answered. "I find it hard to believe you're willing to risk so much to save the brothers you hate."

"Hard to believe as it might be, it's the truth," Hans answered, eyes narrowing.

"Like your love for Anna was?" Elsa nipped.

"No, like _your_ love for Anna was," he answered.

She started, taken aback. Had he just implied it had been hard to believe she loved her sister? She thought about snapping back but then cringed, looking down. He was right, she realized. "I'm sorry," she finally murmured. She shouldn't be giving him the satisfaction of starting all their arguments. She wasn't, of course, at least she didn't think, but still.

"Yeah. Sure you are," Hans replied.

"You don't make it easy, you know. To apologize to you. To be cordial. It's like you think the world's against you or something. I'm trying to be nice, Hans. I'm trying to understand you," she said.

"You think I'm not trying the same for you?" he asked.

"I think before you try it for me, you should deal with you," she answered. He sharply looked over at her, eyes narrowed, but said nothing, focusing on the black clouds in the distance again.

"They've stopped," Hans remarked. And were vanishing now. He sighed in frustration. "And now the easy part is over," he said as the last of the black clouds disappeared from sight.

"But we know the general area," Elsa assured.

"I know," Hans answered, nodding. "I just wish we had a clearer picture."

"So do I," she murmured. She looked up at the sky. They only had so much daylight. It was best they make the most of it.

Frozen

Suddenly they heard a noise in the forest and sharply turned. They stopped the horses and were silent, listening. "What was that?" Elsa finally questioned.

"I don't know. Probably just an animal," Hans answered, though he looked guarded. "Let's, uh, speed up a bit. I mean, there are a lot of wolves in these forests." Elsa nodded worriedly and pushed her ice mare to a trot. Hans followed suite with Sitron.

Suddenly Elsa stopped with a gasp, throwing out her arm to stop Hans. He looked at her arm then up at where she was staring. His eyes widened. Barely distinguishable from the black of the forest was a figure. You could almost believe you were seeing things, but he couldn't be because Elsa had seen it too. "That isn't good, is it?" Elsa asked.

"He knows we're following," Hans murmured back, guardedly watching the thing and drawing his sword. Took it long enough.

"And he intends to stop us, it seems," Elsa remarked, looking around. Hans began looking around too. His heart dropped. They were surrounded by shadows in the woods!

"Oh boy," he said.

"How bad is this?" Elsa asked. "Can we take them?"

"Um…. Maybe?" he lamely offered, grinning innocently and shrugging.

"Define 'maybe'," she said, eyes narrowing.

Hans cringed and rubbed the back of his neck. "We'd have better luck running as fast as we possibly could and hoping they don't attach," he admitted. Problem was there was no opening.

"I can do that," Elsa answered. Immediately she sent out a powerful wave of ice, careening towards the trees. "Move! It'll spread them enough that we can run!" The ice mare took off at a gallop.

"Yah!" Hans ordered, kicking Sitron's flanks and galloping after Elsa as fast as possible. The shadows scattered in the wake of the ice blast, but stayed close to it. "Head for the mountain pass! It's that way!" Hans called, coming alongside Elsa.

"Stay close!" Elsa called back with a nod, turning the ice wave in that direction. They rode close behind. Should they fall too far back, the things in the woods would have them easily. The creatures leapt at them from the forest, spitting and growling, reaching out to catch hold of them and tear them from the backs of their steeds. "Why aren't they hurting the horses?!" Elsa called to Hans.

"Are you kidding? They may be dark sprites, but they're sprites nonetheless. The fae, most every type except a few, are hell bent on _protecting_ the woods and creatures in it," Hans replied.

"Then why isn't the wicked sprite?" Elsa questioned as the end of the woods came into sight. Soon they'd be in the open. There they would be vulnerable, but not far from that was the pass. There they could lose the creatures pursuing them. There it became troll territory, not sprite.

"Because the Wicked Sprite is half troll, remember?" Hans replied.

"Of all the traits for it not to inherit from his sprite side," Elsa said with a dry smirk. Hans chuckled, smiling at her then focusing ahead again.

"Elsa, stay close! Out there we're easy targets," Hans said to her.

"Don't worry about me," Elsa called back, turning and erecting a massive ice wall. Into which a good number of the sprites slammed.

"Nice," Hans said, looking back.

"Thanks," she replied proudly. It gave them the break they needed and all at once they were bursting from the forest and tearing towards the mountains not far away. "We're going to make it!" Elsa cheered.

"I don't believe it. We _are_!" Hans said with a laugh, looking excitedly over at her. He looked ahead and gasped. "Elsa!" he cried out. Elsa looked sharply ahead as well and her eyes widened in horror. There in front of them a large creature of rock was slowly rising!

Frozen

"Mountain trolls!" Elsa exclaimed. And not the good kind that Kristoff had been raised by. The very, very bad kind. The very, very _big_ kind. The kind that would challenge her snow beast and have a good chance of coming out on top. "Move!" she called to Hans as it roared and lifted a boulder, throwing it at them. The two separated, racing around it, then regrouped, Hans behind Elsa.

"Oh this isn't good," Hans said.

"No, you think?!" Elsa sharply called back, turning and frowning.

"Queen Elsa, look out!" Hans shouted, pointing at something. Elsa turned only to see another troll rising! She screamed as it swiped at her and her snow steed, barely managing to dodge it. Hans, however, wasn't as lucky. The arm struck him and sent him flying off of Sitron with a cry of pain. Sitron whinnied, sliding to a stop and turning, fearful for his master.

Elsa reined in her own horse, turning with a gasp. "Prince Hans!" she exclaimed as the prince hit the ground and slid back, dazed.

He sat up and looked back. His eyes widened. Shadow sprites were coming at him from that direction, the trolls from in front. He looked both ways frantically and drew his sword. He wasn't going down like this! No way! He dropped into a fighting stance, scowling, and ran at the two trolls. He'd handled Elsa's snow beast fine. Maybe he'd stand a chance here in turn. He leapt at one, cutting at it. Unfortunately, the sword didn't seem as willing to cut through rock as it was to cut through ice, and only a chip came off. Enough to make the troll roar in pain and get angry, but not enough to injure it and get it to back off. It swung at Hans as the other barrelled down on the prince.

Elsa, judging the situation Hans was in, narrowed her eyes and immediately sent her powers out at the charging troll. They struck and froze it solid. One down, one to go, but first she had to slow those sprites. Immediately she erected more walls of ice, blocking off the mountain pass. If the sprites wanted to get them, they'd have to get over the cliffs or the wall. Which, if they had wings, wouldn't make much of a difference but might. Either way, by the time they got over, she fully intended to be out of there. Elsa turned attention to Hans, who was having a hard time holding off the troll but honestly managing surprisingly well. He leapt back away from it as it brought down its fists. Sitron raced around to pick up his rider. Hans swung up onto the horse's back and tried to race for safety again, but the troll moved in front of him, a boulder held over its head and ready to crush horse and rider! Hans and Sitron stopped, having nowhere to run and no time, and looked up at it in mounting horror. The troll roared and started to bring the boulder down. Hans cried out, shielding his face—for all the good that would do—and bracing for impact. Suddenly, though, there was the sound of ice. Hans looked quickly up and his eyes widened. The troll was frozen solid! He looked quickly over to Elsa, who was scowling and focusing on keeping back the few sprites that were starting to make it over the wall.

"Run!" Elsa shouted to him. Hans didn't need to be told twice. He kicked Sitron into action and caught up to her quickly. She stopped holding the sprites back—not many were going to make it over anyway, and those who had were now frozen—and raced into the pass at his side. "We've done it!" Elsa said, grinning.

"I know! I can't believe it!" Hans said, laughing as they raced around a corner and out of sight of the pass. "So much for the ambushes of the troll king!"

"Anna, your brothers, and my people are as good as free!" Elsa crooned in victory right back.

Frozen

Finally, sure they'd distanced themselves enough, the two slowed their horses down until they had stopped. Exchanging looks, the duo burst into laughter. "I can't believe you held that thing off!" Elsa said.

"I know! I can't believe it _either_! And you with the ice walls and the freezing them right in place… It was amazing!" Hans exclaimed, equally pumped up. He grinned in the direction of the hobgoblin's haunt. "That thing is as good as gone," he said.

Elsa giggled, nodding and looking in the same direction with a smile. A silence came over them as they watched a black cloud begin to form before it faded again. "He isn't happy, is he? The being that took them," Elsa remarked after a moment, smile falling to a concerned frown.

"No," Hans confirmed, tone serious.

She looked over at him. "What will he do to them?" she questioned quietly, almost fearfully.

Hans cringed, thinking. Finally he sighed. "I don't know," he admitted.

"What if… what if someone is hurt because of this… or worse…?" Elsa questioned.

"Don't… say that," Hans said. Because he knew the first ones that hobgoblin would go after would be his brothers. Not Anna, not Kristoff, not Elsa's people, but his brothers.

Elsa caught on, eyes filling with realization, and she looked quickly away, bowing her head. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Why? It's not like _I_ care what happens to them. Just makes my ascent to the throne that much sooner," Hans quickly and testily said, visibly shutting down the line of conversation. "It's just… inconvenient."

"Oh really? Why?" Elsa challenged.

"Look, we're not talking about them right now. Our job is to get there," Hans quickly replied, eyes narrowing at her. "Let's get moving. We're losing daylight." He rode ahead. She watched after him, shaking her head hopelessly. She sighed, looking in the general direction once more, worry in her eyes. She didn't want anyone to die or suffer because of _them_ … But they had to make it. There was no other way. She watched after Hans. Against her better judgement, she felt worried for him. It was his brothers on the line, not her sister. It dawned on her, then, that he'd realized as much from the start. How hard was that for him to know? Especially from the start? To understand that if he did this, if he tried to end the hobgoblin forever and save his kingdom and Arendelle, it could cost him the lives of his siblings? _Was_ it hard for him? She couldn't tell anymore with him. He was just so hard to _read_. To even see.

"Chameleon Prince…" she murmured.

He froze and looked sharply back. "What did you call me?" he questioned frigidly.

"What you are," she answered, riding up to him. "The Chameleon Prince."

"Never say that again," Hans icily, dangerously, warned.

"You can't deny it," she replied, riding ahead of him. He glared dangerously after her, eyes narrowed. He glanced ponderously at his sword before deciding that for now she was more use to him alive. Growling in annoyance, he caught up to her again. "We'll be climbing the staircase towards my ice castle when we reach the end of this pass," she said. "It will be a good place to stay the night, then we can start early tomorrow." At that point their voyage would truly begin, because when they left that palace, they left all familiar ground. The rest was a mystery yet to be solved.

Hans grimaced. More ice. Just what he _didn't_ want right now. "Agreed," he relented a tad bitterly.

"You know as well as I do we'll be safest there," Elsa said. "A mountain storm seems to be brewing anyway. We can't be out in the open when that blizzard hits."

"I know," Hans answered.

"I understand you don't like it…" Elsa began.

"You know, I actually don't even mind it all that much. Your creation… It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. The way it was crafted was just… In every detail there was a piece of you, in every formation a story. It was all so unashamedly _you_ …" Hans said.

Elsa's lips slowly parted in shock. Was she hearing all of this from _his_ mouth? Or was it just one of his masks? "I-I don't know what…" she began.

"Maybe that's why part of me _doesn't_ want to go there. I don't want to be any closer to you than I already am," he cut off.

Her eyes narrowed, her expression becoming a frown. See, _now_ she could believe it had come from his mouth. "Oh bite me," she said, riding ahead.

"What did I say?" he asked. "Hey, it wasn't meant to be an insult! Elsa!" he defended immediately after, as it suddenly dawned on him how that sounded. She didn't even grace him a look. He sighed in annoyance. Fine. She wanted to be that way fine. He wasn't too thrilled with her either.


	15. The Ice Palace

The Ice Palace

(A/N: **Second chapter up today.** Given this one's so short, at least compared to the others, I decided to tack it on today as well.)

Elsa pushed open the ice doors gently and looked inside. Hans, following, felt his mouth slowly dropping in awe. It was as beautiful and awe inspiring as ever. Perhaps more so now. "Wow…" he whispered.

"Wow. Marshmallow's been keeping _house_. Stay close. He still lives here and he doesn't like you," Elsa said, admiring the freshly smoothed ice. "You cut his leg."

"He attacked me! And my men!" Hans defended.

"Also a lot of the little snowgies - those are snow-babies - are here, ones I conjured up during my fever," Elsa said. "They don't like you either. Marshmallow was sure of that."

"Perfect," Hans said, frowning and looking annoyed with it all. He kept an eye open for any movement that could be hostile and stayed close. She led him up the ice staircase. He tread carefully, wanting to be sure he didn't fall. Wow these things were slippery. He stumbled with a gasp, but managed to catch himself. Fortunately, his gloves had good enough grip to hold onto a railing made of ice. Oh it was going to take him forever at this rate.

Elsa looked back and saw his struggle. She sighed and returned. Hans, trying to focus on his footing, was suddenly distracted when a hand came down in front of him. He froze, looking at it. It didn't take much to guess whose it was. "Take my hand. I'll help you. It'll be quicker that way," she said to him.

He stared a moment then looked up at her, eyes narrowed guardedly. "No kindness is done without a price," he said to her. "I'll help myself."

"Let a helping hand just be a helping hand for once," Elsa answered. "I'm not your brothers."

Hans raised an incredulous eyebrow at her. After a moment, though, he took her hand in his. She pulled him up and led him carefully up the steps, being sure he didn't fall or slip. Soon they were on the landing and he looked back. "Thank you," he said after a moment. Humph, he hadn't had trouble mounting those steps before, when he was racing with his men to take her into custody. But then they were more brittle then, he recalled. These looked like they'd been smoothed over time to almost sheer ice. No footholds, no grip, no anything.

"You're welcome," she replied, turning and marching proudly forward, head held high and regal. He watched after her. She seemed so at ease here. So at home. Even more so than back in Arendelle. To see her so queenly… It almost took him aback a moment. Seeing her ferocious and fighting for her life had been just as stunning to him, he recalled. He shook his head and followed.

"I wish I could understand you," he dryly said.

"What have I done that you can't understand?" she questioned.

"Just this. _You_ … The Snow Queen," he muttered.

"The what?" she questioned.

"The Snow Queen," he repeated. "It suits you. The snow and ice is as unpredictable and changing and unique as you are."

 _And as mysterious, as powerful, as commanding of respect, as beautiful, as unobtainable, as precious…_

Whoa now, too far! Immediately he erased that thought and pretended he'd never had it. She, for her part, started and blinked. That had been… unexpected. "I can't tell if that's a good thing or not," she finally, and dryly, settled on saying.

"Take it however you please," Hans answered as they entered the room where the chandelier had fallen and knocked her unconscious. "I carried you out of this place," Hans muttered. "Back to Arendelle…"

She paused, silent. She bowed her head. "Not surprising. According to the laws of hierarchy, you would have been the only one even _remotely_ close enough to my class to even touch me in such a vulnerable state."

"I _was_ of your class," Hans deadpanned. "That's why I did it… But between you and me, I'm no more a fan of those rules than _Iscawin_ is. _I_ just hide it better."

Elsa blinked at him then smiled in amusement. "I feel the same," she admitted.

"But I have to say, sometimes they do come in handy," Hans remarked, grinning.

"Oh without doubt. Doesn't mean I approve of them," Elsa replied slightly teasingly.

"They're a necessary evil," Hans said.

"At least for now," Elsa agreed with a grin. He chuckled, grinning at her in turn.

Frozen

Suddenly they seemed to realize they were both smiling at each other. Immediately their grins disappeared and the two cleared their throats awkwardly. "So, um, I suppose you crafted rooms in this place," Hans remarked.

"Uh, yeah, I-I did," Elsa answered, telling herself to smarten up. "Follow me," she said. He did so. She led him through a hallway and paused outside of a door. "This is where you'll stay," she said. "If you need anything, I mean if Marshmallow finds you, or the little snow-babies, just call. I'm in the room at the end of this corridor."

"Alright," Hans agreed. "I'm not going to freeze?" he uneasily questioned.

"Take these blankets," she answered, handing him all the blankets they'd brought. "I mean, I hope it isn't too cold for you, but I can't really tell. The cold…"

"Never bothered you anyway. I know," Hans cut off. "It's something, at least. Tomorrow we take off early, then."

"Yes," Elsa confirmed.

Hans nodded. "Then I'll see you in the morning," he said. He hesitated, cringing. He didn't want to say it, but years of manners being drummed into him kind of refused to let him just walk away. "Sleep well, your majesty," he said, bowing to her.

"You as well, your grace," she answered, curtseying. Turning on her heel, she went to her room. He watched her go then entered his own, shutting the door tightly and hoping he didn't wake up with snowgies on his chest. Or Marshmallow in his room. He shuddered at the thought. Ugh, he needed rest. He set up his bed than collapsed onto it. For ice it was actually pretty comfy. And warm. Surprising, actually. Like cold warmth. He sighed and closed his eyes.

Frozen

A cell door opening. Terrified faces looking quickly up. He realized it was his brothers, Anna and Kristoff with them. They gaped at whatever had come in horror and fear. Anna buried herself in Kristoff's arms. His brothers never moved, just stared at the being, some in terror, some without expression, some defiantly. "Seize the king," the being that looked man but wasn't commanded. Immediately Moren was seized and dragged to his feet, held between two shadowy sprites.

"Where are you taking him?!" Jürgen immediately demanded, leaping to his feet.

"Sit down!" the being commanded.

"Take me in his place!" Jürgen replied, refusing to obey.

Suddenly Mael shrieked in pain. Jürgen's head whipped around in terror. Mael was rocking back and forth in agony, holding his head. "Stop it! Stop, stop, please!" Mael pled desperately, suddenly breaking down into sobs at whatever was happening to him. Mael never wept. He hadn't for so many years.

Immediately Jürgen leapt to Mael's side and pulled him into a protective hug, instantly obeying the wicked sprite. The others were quick to crowd around the third oldest, frantic, scared, but ready to attempt a mass rebellion if whatever was happening to Mael didn't stop in timely fashion. It seemed the troll king still considered them a threat. At least enough to be wary of such a formation. Instantly whatever Mael was suffering was cut off, and the prince collapsed unconscious into the arms of his brothers.

"Mael" Anna screamed in fear. Kristoff held her back from going to him, his eyes wide in horror. "You monster!" Anna shrieked at the troll. The troll beckoned for the sprites holding Moren to follow. Moren bowed his head and didn't struggle. To struggle would only mean more agony upon his brothers, Anna, Kristoff, or Elsa's people. He would not stand for that. Let this thing do what he would to him.

 _He wanted to scream out. He wanted to attack that creature taking his brother away, but he couldn't! He knew he couldn't because he was here in an ice palace while his siblings were captive and at this being's mercy. He tried to scream Moren's name, but no sound came out. He knew this was a dream, and yet he also realized it wasn't. Whatever was happening, it was very real, and it was occurring even now. They were suffering… He couldn't get to them… No, no, he didn't care, he didn't! Let the hobgoblin kill them off one by one, let him! He didn't care, he didn't care, he didn't care!_

Moren shrieked and writhed in pain as they shrouded him in a mocking robe of molten gold. He would be dead, Hans knew, if the sprite wasn't keeping him alive. "Submit to my will! Submit to me! Place your life and the lives of your brothers in my hands. I will release you, all of you… All you must give me is your youngest sibling… Give him to me!"

Moren, hardly able to open his eyes for the pain, body shaking, somehow managed to open them and still look defiant and regal doing so. "I would suffer eternal hell before I gave Hans into your hands. I will not submit to you! Not now, not ever!" he shouted. The shroud was heated again and Moren threw back his head, shrieking in pain

 _Don't come. Hans, please, don't come…_ Mael's voice begged in his head. _Don't come for us… If you do, you come only to your doom…_

"Come, youngest prince," another said. The voice of the wicked sprite. "Come and I will give you all you desire. Power, strength, revenge. Your enemies at your feet, your brothers set free if you wish, or executed if that is your desire. Whatever you wish, it will be given you… Only bring me the Queen of Arendelle. Alive. Bring her to me and give her into my hand. Show me what you are."

In his dreams he saw the palace and the place in which it was located. He saw the path. His brother's pleas for him not to come faded away, and all he heard was the roar of a bear and the wicked laughter of the once-man, the wicked sprite, as sparkling glass shards fell from the sky and came upon the earth, reflecting to him all his longings and deepest or darkest desires…

Frozen

Hans jolted awake with a gasp, sitting up quickly and covered in a sheen of cold sweat. He shivered violently. Sweat and an ice palace didn't mix. If he got hypothermia, he swore… Ugh, never mind. He willed his heart to stop pounding a mile and minute and looked around, hoping it was day or early morning. He… he didn't want to go to sleep again… Fortunately, light was trickling into the room through the window. Hans shivered again and got up, wrapping his jacket around him as well as the blankets. He wondered if Elsa was even awake at this time of day. Whatever the case, he knew he wasn't going to sleep. He sighed and left his room, looking around carefully. He turned towards her door and considered waking her up, but just then he saw a lumbering shadow approaching it. His eyes widened. Marshmallow was standing guard. Quickly he ducked back into his own room, heart thumping. He did _not_ need a battle with a snow beast right now.

He heard a door open. Elsa, hopefully, coming to 'rescue' him. He scoffed at the thought. The last person whose help he wanted was her. Unfortunately, she was also the first person whose help he _needed_. Not regarding Marshmallow, just this whole going after the hobgoblin thing. The door was knocked on. "Prince Hans?" Elsa called.

"I'm here," he answered.

Elsa smirked at the door and patted a growling Marshmallow gently. "Easy. He's here by my permission. We need him to save Anna, Marshmallow. Please understand that," she soothed the snow beast. It roared angrily in protest but then sighed and nodded, relenting. "Good. Now don't scare him off."

"That thing couldn't scare me off it if wanted to!" Hans called back, indignant that she thought he couldn't take on her snow creature. He'd done it before, after all. He would do it again if he had to. Marshmallow roared angrily again.

Elsa sighed. "Hey, we're leaving within the hour, okay? You don't need to be bothered about Prince Hans for long," she said, smiling at her creature. It growled in annoyance and thumped off. When she was sure Marshmallow wouldn't decide to charge back for a sneak attack, she turned to the door. "You can come out now."

Hans opened the door warily and looked out. "I've faced that thing before. I hardly needed you to call me out. Hurting your snow beast again wasn't exactly the way to keep this understanding between us going. That's why I didn't come out sooner," he defended.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Hans," Elsa replied coldly, folding her arms. "I've seen firsthand what you're capable of."

"You haven't seen a fraction," Hans replied.

"Unfortunately, I believe you," she answered.

"Unfortunately for you, maybe," Hans answered.

"You've seen firsthand what _I_ can do too," Elsa threatened evenly. "You couldn't hope to stand." She turned her back on him and continued on.

He scowled darkly after her and seriously considered going at her with his sword. His scowl became a frown. "You know, Queen Elsa, you have a bad, bad habit of turning your back on your enemies. One day it's going to cost you. Powerful as you are, it means nothing when you don't see it coming," he warned. She paused and turned sharply back to him, eyes narrowed. She considered retorting then decided it wasn't worth the effort. She harrumphed and turned her back again, walking off… Albeit this time she kept herself a little more aware of how close or far away Hans was from her.


	16. The Magma Cavern

The Magma Cavern

They rode up a cliff path and came out onto a more open area of the mountain. Elsa looked back. Her castle stood situated in the distance, haunting and menacing in its beauty, but somehow also reassuring and comforting. That was the end of their familiar territory. Everything from here on out would be new to them both. Truth be told, that knowledge concerned her. She looked ahead at Hans, who kept riding without looking back. She looked back towards her castle and closed her eyes, bowing her head. She turned her ice horse and swiftly moved to catch up to Hans. He was probably as lost as she was, she knew, but if he was, he was hiding that fact pretty well.

Hans glanced over at her then ahead again, searching the sky worriedly. "Is something wrong?" she questioned.

He grimaced and sighed, rubbing massaging his forehead. "Just a nightmare I had last night," he answered. He looked up again. _Or premonition,_ he inwardly added.

She nodded. "What was it about?" she questioned.

He was quiet, debating whether to answer or not. Soon he replied, "It's not important. Yet. Maybe I'll tell you later." Or not. Depending on what he chose to do with it.

Elsa didn't press. "Are we going the right way?" she questioned.

"Yes," he answered.

"How can you be sure?" she asked.

He looked over at her. After a moment he replied, "I saw it in my dreams."

Elsa started. "In your dreams?" she asked, sounding a little dubious.

"It might seem like nonsense to you, but it's all we have… Besides, it's more a feeling than anything," Hans said.

Elsa was quiet. He inwardly sighed. She probably thought he was off his rocker. Which probably wouldn't be far from the truth. "Do you think Mael is trying to reach you?" she asked, to his surprise. So much for her doubting. "Is that why you saw the way in your dreams? Because your brother is trying to help?"

Hans paused, frowning and thinking. "Maybe? I don't know. I just… I just sense we have to go this way," he answered. Lie. Well, partial lie. It wasn't Mael leading him to their destination. It was the wicked sprite. He was disturbingly flattered the creature was displaying such a show of good-will. And more than a little tempted to see where it would go, but then curiosity, cats, and all that. Of course there was also the counter about satisfaction… He shook his head, banishing those thoughts. No thinking on it now.

"We can't go much farther this way. Unless there's a cave through this mountain, we're going to be trapped in a dead end," Elsa said, noting the mountain ridges closing in. It indicated a dead end soon.

"Then I guess we're taking our chances with there being a cave. We can't go back now. We've spent too much time coming this way. We can't afford to retrace our steps," Hans replied. He looked forward again. "We… we might be too late as it is…"

Elsa bit her lower lip, catching sight of something like concern flicker in Hans's eyes before he buried it. "Hey, they're going to be okay," she said to him gently.

"I don't care what happens to them!" Hans immediately replied. "If they're gone, they're gone."

"Really? Because I'm starting to think my original assumption was wrong. You're not doing all of this just for your kingdom and Arendelle, or for a chance at escaping trial and punishment," Elsa answered.

"You're wrong," Hans stated. "And giving me far too much credit. I'm a monster, remember? What does a monster care for family ties?" Elsa cringed and looked away, something almost akin to shame in her expression.

Frozen

They stood, now, outside of a massive entrance to what promised to be a lengthy and potentially massive cave system. They were frozen in place. "You know, we might never find our way out of there if we go in," Elsa remarked.

"Ariadne," Hans replied.

"What?" Elsa asked.

"Ariadne's golden thread," Hans said, looking at her.

She caught on, eyes lighting up, then nodded and looked ahead. "For Anna," she said. Only for her sister's sake would she risk something this insane. She reached out, trailing her hand along the cave walls and leaving a trail of ice to show the ways they'd gone.

Hans followed with a very uneasy and nervous Sitron nickering concernedly. Suddenly there was a distant roar from somewhere in the caverns. Sitron reared up, acting jittery and panicked. "Easy boy, easy," Hans soothed. Sitron whinnied again, not liking this and trying to balk at it before Hans forced him onwards again.

"Whatever that was, we'd better hope we don't run into it," Elsa remarked, looking warily around. She hissed in pain suddenly and quickly drew her fingers away from the wall. She looked at them. She'd been cut. She turned to the wall. It was getting jagged. She'd have to be more careful. She felt her hand being taken and turned. Hans held it in one of his, carefully wrapping cloth around the injury. She blinked at him in vague surprise. What reason was there for him to be tending her wounds? She couldn't think of anything he could gain by doing it. Then again she couldn't think of anything he could lose by _not_ doing it either. He finished tending the cuts and released her hand.

"Repayment for helping me up the stairs and with your snow beast," he muttered by way of excuse. She nodded, accepting the explanation, then focused on leaving an ice trail again, this time more carefully.

Frozen

As they got deeper, the roaring sound became louder. Now Sitron was desperately trying to back out, and even the ice mare was struggling against Elsa. "Easy, easy!" Elsa ordered it. "We're okay, girl, we're okay."

"For now," Hans more pessimistically added. Elsa shot him a warning glare. "What? I'm right," he defended. Elsa looked uneasily ahead. She hated to admit it, but he probably _was_.

Suddenly the ground began to quake. Hans and Elsa gasped, looking down. The horses began whinnying in terror, trying to bolt. "What's happening?!" Elsa demanded.

"How should _I_ know?" Hans demanded. Rocks began to fall from above and they looked sharply up in alarm.

Their eyes widened. "Cave in!" they cried together.

"Go Sitron, move!" Hans commanded, kicking the stallion into action. Sitron didn't need to be prodded. He tore down through the caves, Elsa and the ice mare hot on his heels as the roof collapsed behind them. "Oh this can't be _happening_!" Hans exclaimed.

"Well it is!" Elsa shot. "Focus!" She looked ahead and screamed, reining in her mare sharply. Hans quickly looked ahead and cried out as well, reining in Sitron. Sitron slid with a scream and fell to the ground in his desperate attempt to stop. Hans tumbled from the horse with a cry of pain. Pain was followed by terror as he cried out, feeling the ground vanish beneath him. "Hans!" Elsa shouted. She leapt from her mare and raced to the ledge that had seemed to appear out of nowhere, darting passed a struggling Sitron. The ice mare raced to the stallion and seized his mane in her teeth, helping pull him back onto solid ground.

Elsa looked over the ledge in horrified dread. Please don't let him be dead, please don't let him be dead. Not now! Not like this! She searched for a sign of him then caught her breath. There he was, at the bottom of the drop! Relief turned to concern and worry. He wasn't moving. He wasn't moving! "Oh gods!" she exclaimed. Quickly she formed an ice slide down to the ground below and slid down it. The two horses neighed for her frantically and looked around. Sitron nickered, nudging the mare and looking towards a path that seemed to continue across this sudden drop. It was apparent they were separated from their riders for a good long while now. It was up to them to find their own way out. The mare nodded to Sitron, and the two mounts went cautiously towards the path. Hans and Elsa probably wouldn't be coming back up any time soon. Elsa could raise a platform of snow, most probably, but odds were she wouldn't.

Frozen

Elsa watched the two horses go. She hoped and prayed they found their way out. If Sitron was lost to Hans… She didn't even _want_ to know how badly that would affect the prince. And admittedly, she'd become quite attached to her ice mare. Immediately she turned attention to the young man and ran to his side, falling next to him. "Hans? Hans!" she said, carefully rolling him onto his back. "Come on, wake up," she pled. She placed her hands on his cheeks and used her powers. Maybe the cold would revive the young man. Hans shifted slightly. Good. He was alive and he could feel. She channelled her power into him a second time. His eyes began to flicker.

Hans moaned softly and opened his eyes. He blinked on seeing her. Waking up in her arms, or even with her at his side, was getting to be humiliating now, he decided. Ugh, he was an embarrassment to princes everywhere, he inwardly joked to himself. Carefully he sat up and winced, placing a hand to his head. "Dammit," he whispered under his breath. He blinked, looking around. "Where is Sitron?" he immediately demanded.

"He's fine. He and my ice mare are finding their own way out. It seems you and I are working alone from here," Elsa answered.

Hans looked worriedly up towards the path the horses had probably gone down. "If anything happens to my horse…" he began. Sighing, he trailed off and carefully stood. He wavered slightly before getting his balance back.

"Careful. You took a really bad fall," Elsa said.

"I'm fine," Hans replied, shaking his head. "Let's just get this nightmare over with."

"I agree completely," Elsa dryly said. Cautiously the two began down their own path.

Frozen

For a little while there was silence. Eventually Elsa looked over at Hans. He was thinking about something. She was just about to ask what that something was, in fact, but he seemed to read her mind. "Why do you keep coming to my rescue?" he questioned bluntly. She started, blinking. Well, _that_ had been direct. He paused, turning to her. "Well?"

Elsa was quiet. She honestly had to think that one through for a while. "Don't be the monster they think you are," she finally answered. He started, blinking. Had she just kind of quoted him? "I won't be the monster you think I am. I am a good person, and that's why I come to your rescue. So I can prove it to myself as much as to you."

Hans was quiet. "I never thought you were a monster," he finally answered. "They were words said to hurt."

Elsa looked down. "Well they did, so congratulations," she answered. A little rougher than necessary, she pushed passed him.

Hans watched after her, surprised at the action. He grimaced, shifting uneasily, then looked after her once more. "Queen Elsa!" he called. She paused but didn't turn. "You don't need to prove anything. Not to anyone. Not to yourself and definitely not to me," he said. "Not everybody is going to understand you, some will even fear you, but that doesn't matter. Just _be_. Just be, and let them think what they want."

She turned to him. He started. Were those tears misting in her eyes? Hidden, but they were there nonetheless. "Thank you," she said quietly.

He was frozen. What was this reaction to those words? That look? He'd never felt it before. He didn't like it. At all. Nor did he like the way his heart got a little louder and faster briefly. It was a sign of attraction, and attraction was the _last_ thing he needed. Especially when it came to her. "I never said anything particularly deserving of a thanks, at least in my eyes, but you're welcome," he finally answered, willing the fluttering to go away and the heart to slow. Both happened in quick order. He was glad for it. He hadn't trusted those sensations. Never had.

Frozen

They were heading towards light, but it wasn't an outside sort of light. Elsa grimaced, shielding her face from the sudden brightness. "It's so _hot_ down here," she said.

"I know. It can't be good," Hans answered. "I think… I think we might be near a magma pocket."

"Are you saying we're in a volcano?!" Elsa demanded sharply.

"I'm saying we'd better watch our step and hope and pray that if it is, it's long dormant with no plans to erupt any time soon," Hans answered.

"Heat and snow aren't going to mix well," Elsa dryly said. She tried to form a snow cloud. It did precious little and became more a rain one. Warm rain. She shook her head hopelessly. It was so hot down here... She could feel the heat through her shoes. She almost believed that had any normal human come down here, they wouldn't have made it so far without being burned. Except Hans was normal, as far as she knew, and he hardly looked bothered by this. She looked around. Maybe it _was_ just her. She felt like she was melting. She didn't like that sensation."My ice may be enchanted, but even magic has its limits. If it gets much hotter than this, my powers aren't going to hold up." So hopefully she wouldn't need them.

Hans looked her over and froze, eyes popping open wide. "Oh you don't have to tell me twice," he hollowly said.

She paused, looking back. "What do you mean?" she questioned.

"Elsa, your dress is melting!" he exclaimed in horror, blushing suddenly a bright red and feeling more flustered than he had in, well, _ever_. Maybe sheening was a more correct term than melting. Drops of water were forming and slipping off of it, but it was no reason to panic, right? Right?! Oh who was he kidding?

"What?!" she shouted, looking down at it. Her eyes widened. It was! She shrieked, covering her chest—though it was nowhere near to the point of being revealed - and looking frantically around. Had they brought anything else for her to wear?! "Oh no," she exclaimed. "I don't have spare clothes!"

It-it's okay! It's alright!" Hans said.

"How is this okay?!" she shouted at him, now blushing as brightly as _he_ was on realizing her situation.

"I-I mean it's melting slowly! Maybe it'll hold up to the end. Even if it doesn't, if you're wearing a corset under that, or a slip, then hey, that's not so bad," Hans said, trying to reassure her.

"For you!" she shouted.

"It's _worse_ for me. You think I want to see you like that?" Hans demanded. "I can hardly stand you clothed!"

"Bite me!" she shot at him sharply. She gasped, feeling her dress melting faster the closer to the magma pocket they got, and looked down uneasily. Fortunately she _was_ wearing a corset and slip. At least _that_ was a plus. But to be in that state of undress in front of _him_ … She nibbled her lip vulnerably and looked up at him, eyes slightly fearful.

"I desire nothing from you, your majesty," Hans said, noting her fear. "Somehow I'll restrain myself."

She turned away from him. "Walk in front of me and don't turn back or so help me I will freeze you solid," she finally relented. She would defy the very forces of nature to do so. Limits be damned. He wasn't about to argue. He quickly moved in front of her and pushed forward, not once looking back or even seeming tempted to. Which probably shouldn't have burned her as much as it did.

Frozen

The two looked down over the ledge into the magma pit beneath them. Fortunately, they were a long, long, long ways up from there. Not far enough for the heat not to be painfully uncomfortable, though. Both were sweating. Hans, by this point, had stripped off his coat and removed all layers of clothing say for the undershirt. He was about ready to whip that off too at this point. Forget propriety. He wasn't dying of heat stroke down here. To be honest, he really hadn't started to notice the heat until now, when it was staring him in the face. He found it actually very pleasant. Elsa, on the other hand, was highly uncomfortable and highly uneasy. Her dress had long melted away, and besides that, snow queen plus magma lake equalled issues. The prince looked ahead. "The cave ends up here. I know it does. It _has_ to. Just a little further, Elsa. We can do this."

She was quiet. Disturbingly so. She'd been disturbingly quiet for quite a while now. If not for the fact he could hear her breathing, and hear her footsteps, he'd almost believe he'd lost her long ago. He set his jaw and narrowed his eyes determinedly. This wasn't going to stop them. He set off. He heard her following, but her footsteps were slowing. He paused, finally, debated whether it was worth the risk to turn around, then did so. In her weakened state what could she do anyway? He started. She was dizzy, that was obvious. She was staggering entirely too much and entirely too close to the ledge. He looked ahead then back at her. He sighed and went up to the Queen, taking her hands in his. She looked weakly up at him, fear in her eyes. She knew how vulnerable a state she was in. She knew she couldn't fight back if he tried to murder her or worse. He felt her shivering. She was frightened. Of _him_. That only served to make him feel angrier and more resentful, but those thoughts he forced away. Now wasn't the time for anger and resentment.

"We're almost there," he said gently. He drew her along, walking backwards and leading her by the hands.

She shook her head. "I can't make it," she whispered.

"We're almost there," he repeated. She nodded. He nodded back and released her hands when he was sure she would follow, starting off again. They were about half way across. Only a couple more minutes. If she could hold on… He paused suddenly. He couldn't hear footsteps. Sharply he turned and his eyes widened. She had fallen to her knees and was holding her arms tightly around her body, breathing weak. She looked slowly up at him, eyes pained and exhausted. He didn't move. All at once she collapsed to the ground and lay still, eyes shut.

Hans blinked at her. She was dying, he realized suddenly. This was far, far worse than just exhaustion or heat stroke. She was actually dying! The heat in this place was killing her! He was surprised that his first thought hadn't been how wonderful the sight of her dying would be... He could leave her here, he realized. Leave her to expire. Her body would never be found, or if it was, by the time they discovered it, it would be unrecognizable. Her death could only benefit him. The troll king might be harder to take, but he could do it. He hoped. Her death… it just meant she was out of his life forever.

 _But he couldn't do it…_

He shifted then went back to her. He knelt at her side, rolling her gently over. She was limp in his arms, teeth gently clenched in pain. He bit the inside of his cheek then picked her up bridal style with a slight grunt. He adjusted her more comfortably in his arms and looked down at her.

 _She was so beautiful…_

He immediately banished that thought, shaking his head in annoyance. Quickly he set off again. With every step he took, she seemed to be having more trouble breathing. He had to hurry or soon a body was what he would be carrying.

Frozen

As they neared the surface, the air became colder and colder. It would be frigid if not for the fact the heat from the magma lake could still be felt even here. It was probably what was saving him from freezing. Then they were at the exit. Hans could have cheered. He looked down at the queen in his arms and adjusted her weight ever so slightly so she was in a more convenient position to be lain down. He exited the cave and collapsed to his knees as it suddenly struck him how exhausted he was. He looked down at Elsa again then laid her gently on the ground. He pursed his lips. She still wore only the corset and her slip. It may be too cold for her, but then again she had an insanely high tolerance for the cold. Perhaps the cold, in fact, would be what revived her. Just in case, though… He laid his cloak over her. It would keep her relatively warm, but not so warm that the cold air wouldn't chill her to the bone had she been a regular human. He sat back in the entrance of the cave, where it was still relatively warm, and observed her. He looked around the area they were in. Hot springs. He chuckled to himself. Sleep first, then bath and relaxation, he decided.

He shivered in the wind and put on his layers of clothing again, say for the cloak he'd lain over her. He still felt himself getting chilled, but whatever warmth could be felt from deep inside the cave was helping. Slightly. He shivered, drew his knees up, and wrapped his arms around them before laying back his head. He needed sleep. It was probably midnight—possibly even later—and he desperately needed to rest. As long as he woke up tomorrow, it would be all good.


	17. You Will Be Good Enough

You Will Be Good Enough

Birds chirped in the few trees that could be found this high up. They chirped in the mountain crevices. They chirped constantly. Loudly. It was an alarm clock Elsa decided she could get behind, as she began to wake up. She shifted and her eyes opened. She frowned, for a moment confused as to where she was, and then it all came flooding back and she caught her breath, sitting bolt upright. She felt a cloak fall off of her and quickly looked at it. Hans's? She looked around for him and spotted him sitting in the entrance of the cave. She blinked. How had they…? Had he carried her all this _way_? Her lips slowly parted in disbelief before she shut them again, looking at the cloak. She took it in her hands, examining it.

"You should probably form your ice gown now," Hans remarked suddenly. "Before things get any more awkward."

She looked towards him. Had he not spoken just now, she would have thought he was still sleeping. "How long have you been awake?" she asked.

"I never slept," he answered, shifting finally and turning to her, opening his eyes. "I had hoped to drift off. Seems that isn't happening, though."

She looked at the cloak she held then rose, forming her ice gown and going to him, handing it over. "Maybe if you get a little warmer you'll sleep better."

"It's too late for that now. We can't waste more time," he answered.

"You could have gone deeper into the cave where it was warm, you know," she remarked.

"In a mountain full of predators? I don't think so. Someone had to take watch," he answered. "And you were in no condition to take over for me."

"Have you really not slept at all?" she demanded, eyes narrowing.

"I've gone longer without sleep than one night, Elsa," Hans answered with a sigh.

"Well not this time. You're no use to me exhausted, Hans, or to yourself or to your brothers. You need to sleep. We can wait a little longer. You go into a fight like this, your next rest will be permanent," she said.

"No one would shed a tear for me," Hans answered quietly, putting on his cloak.

"That isn't true," Elsa answered.

"Yes. It is," Hans answered.

"We aren't moving until you get some sleep," Elsa said, sitting across from him. He looked at her exhaustedly. Had he not been so tired, he would have protested further. Finally, though, he sighed and nodded. He stood and moved back farther into the cave. Finding a warm spot, he lay down and closed his eyes. She waited until she was sure he was asleep then rose, going to the hot spring. She might as well bathe while she could. She undressed and slipped into the warm waters. She smiled, leaning back to enjoy the warmth. She loved the cold, but the warm was wonderful.

Frozen

She felt someone shake her shoulder lightly. She started awake with a gasp and looked quickly up. Hans was there! Had she been asleep?! "How long was I sleeping?" she demanded, moving to rise. He kept a firm hand on her shoulder, holding her down.

"Rethink how much of you you're okay with me seeing before you get out of the water," Hans deadpanned. She blinked in confusion then recalled her state of undress, blushing deeply. "I don't know how long you've been out. I just woke up like two minutes ago," he continued, rubbing his eyes. Good thing nothing had been searching for them or they would have been dead in the water. He looked up. "Looks to be about midday, though. The horses came back while we were sleeping."

Elsa looked over. Sure enough, there stood Sitron and the Ice Mare, grazing away contentedly like nothing had ever happened. "Thank goodness," she breathed.

"I'll get us something to eat while you get dressed," Hans said, releasing her shoulder and rising, going to the saddlebags. She watched him warily then quickly got out and formed her gown. She approached him as he was dividing up bread and some dried meat. He looked up at her and offered her half of it. She took it, nodding gratefully, and began to eat. "Now if you don't mind, you're not the only one who needs a bath," he said.

He took his food and went towards the hot springs, kicking a stone. She looked after him curiously, watching him removing his clothing. He really was quite good looking. She could see how Anna had been so smitten. When he reached the pants he paused and glanced over at her. She blinked then realized she'd been staring. And not minding. Flushing a bright red, she whipped her head away from him, grimacing. Had she really been admiring him? She groaned out loud, burying her face in her hands when she heard him chuckle. She almost expected to hear him taunt her, but he held his tongue in check. For that she was grateful. Not that she didn't have a retort. Goodness knew _he_ had to have seen more than he let on when he woke her up in the water. He'd probably paced around first, watching her. He looked so she had, she justified. Oh that was a horrible justification. Elsa sighed and rose, going to ready the horses for the next stretch. She looked in the direction they were heading. "We're almost there, Anna," she said softly to her absent sister. Soon enough they would save their siblings and their kingdoms.

Frozen

The cell door was thrown open and Moren was thrust inside. "Moren!" Anna screamed, immediately leaping to his side along with his brothers. Kristoff gazed fearfully at the troll, eyes wide. This was nothing like the trolls he knew, and yet it was. This was just… This was something so entirely different and the same…

"Wh-what have you done?" Kristoff heard himself whisper.

"The king would not be put in his place," the wicked sprite answered. "And then he was. When I threatened him with the heads of the two youngest brothers in my custody." Iscawin and Kelin-Sel paled. The sprite glared at the unconscious and obviously suffering king. Burn marks were plain to see to all, and his clothes… they were in tatters and scorched. It didn't take a lot to guess at least the gist of what had happened to him. "I will see him on his knees and my slave before this is done."

"You freak of nature!" Anna screamed, leaping up and lunging for the hobgoblin, fingers stretched out like talons. Franz leapt, catching her and pulling her back. "Let me go! How could you? Why are you doing this?!" she screamed at the creature. "Why?!"

"Because I want to," the hobgoblin replied with a chilling smirk. With that he left. Anna, shaking, collapsed to her knees with a sob, Franz falling with her and holding her close. A fit of despair, he realized. If only she knew how close _he_ was to having one _too_. For now, though, he had to be the reassurance. It seemed no one else would be.

"It's okay. There's a way out. There always is," Franz said.

"No there isn't," she brokenly replied. "I can't lie to myself anymore. There's no way out."

"Yes there is. And if we can't find it ourselves, then our siblings will," he promised. She sobbed and nodded.

Frozen

Elsa waited by the springs while Hans scouted ahead. Soon she heard him returning and looked over. He looked slightly pale and she stiffened. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"We're close to the lair. Too close!" Hans said.

"That's good. It means we're close to saving them!" Elsa exclaimed, rising.

"No! No, no, we can't go out there now. No way. He has them hunting us, Elsa! Scouring the mountains and forests. The only reason they're not in that cave now is because of that cave-in. That and they don't know where it comes out. Thank god they don't know this area even exists, or we would be dead right now, do you understand me? Dead! They're everywhere. They're swarming these hills! Your ice may or may not be more powerful than 100 men, but 100 _sprites_? 1000? They're Fair Folk, your majesty. They have magic like you've never seen. We try to reach it now, we're dead."

"Then what are we supposed to do?!" Elsa demanded. "We can't sit here!"

"Yes we can. This time. Wait here. Wait it out. With luck they'll report we're dead or decide we're not in this area yet. When things calm down, we move," Hans replied.

"That could take weeks!" Elsa protested. "Our siblings, our kingdoms, don't have that time!"

"I'll think of something okay?!" Hans demanded. "Just-just bear with me here. We can't go for it now."

"So what? You're saying we're stuck here another night?" Elsa asked.

"At least the place is nice," Hans answered lamely, shrugging hopelessly.

"I'm sorry, is that supposed to make any of this better?" Elsa demanded.

"Nothing's going to make this better," Hans answered with a sigh, sitting on the ground and massaging his forehead. "Gods, this was a fool's errand from the start! A suicide mission! I knew it was from the beginning and I still did it. Angrily he threw a stick to the side. "Always good never good enough," he disgustedly said, more to himself than to her.

"What?" Elsa asked.

Hans sighed, resting his head on his knees. He looked back up towards the sky. "Nothing. It's just… just something my brothers—Jürgen in particular—always used to say… Still say… And they're right… Always good, never good enough… I've never been good enough…"

"Why do they say that?" Elsa questioned, a little taken aback by the coldness of the words. Hans was quiet. Suddenly he rose angrily, viciously kicking a rock to the side and storming away from her. "Hans? Hans!" she called. He never looked back, and she was left to gape in shock after him. What was he hiding? She closed her mouth and shifted uneasily, looking down. She couldn't push him, she realized. Pushing him only seemed to shut him down more. If he spoke to it, he would speak to it on his own terms. She sighed. She hated to accept that realization, but that was the truth of it. She looked at Sitron, who was looking sadly and worriedly after his master. She went to him and gently petted his neck. "What is he hiding, boy?" she murmured to the stallion. Sitron nickered softly, nibbling at her hair lightly. She looked after Hans once more, frowning concernedly.

Frozen

When he didn't come back by sunset, she went after him. She wasn't going to wait any longer. For all she knew he'd been captured. She had to be sure he was okay. Why she was concerned she didn't bother questioning. She just knew she had to find him. Find out what had happened to him. She needed him for this mission as much as he needed her. It wouldn't help either of them if one was caught.

She found him up on a ledge looking down over the mountains. Not so far away was the castle of the hobgoblin, situated darkly against the setting sun. Far below they could pick out moving figures. Hundreds of sprites and trolls scouring for them. From here they looked like dots. She looked down at the scene in a kind of dark and bitter fascination as the wind lightly blew her hair. He didn't turn to her, though surely he sensed her presence. She went to him and knelt across from the prince, watching the sight.

After a long moment he suddenly questioned, "Do you believe we'll save them?" She looked over at him, a little taken aback. His voice… He sounded so vulnerable… Vulnerability was never a word she could ever have put to him before this moment, and now…

She looked back towards the castle. "You're afraid," she noted quietly.

"I haven't exactly had a great track record when it comes to saving people," he said bitterly.

She nodded. "Maybe, but when was the last time you _needed_ to?" she asked. Excluding recent events, that was.

He was quiet. "I was twenty, going on twenty-one," he finally answered. "It was… It was shortly after I decided _I_ would be the one father sent to Arendelle as our representative at your coronation. That _I_ would… that I would be the one to win the heart of the mysterious queen…" She started and looked quickly over at him. He glanced at her and sighed, looking away. "To marry you meant I would never ever have to go home again. It meant a throne of my own. It meant… It meant I was worth _something_ … It meant I would _be_ something. To father. To my brothers. To… to my mother…"

"But you _were_ something to your mother," Elsa murmured, recalling that Moren had stated as much. That Hans had been her favorite.

"No… not anymore I wasn't… Not at that point…" Hans murmured.

"What do you mean?" Elsa questioned.

Hans closed his eyes tightly and bowed his head. "I killed my mother, you know…" he said.

"Moren said…" she began.

"That I'd never hurt her? Hah! As if. Oh I hurt her alright. I hurt her worse than anyone else ever had before. I hurt… I killed…" he began. He trailed off and drew in a shaky breath, closing his eyes tightly. He looked up and she was left stunned again. Tears shone in his eyes, though they refused to fall. She hadn't believe he _could_ cry… "What was it you said to me at the ball again?"

She looked away. "I don't remember," she muttered. A lie. She remembered all too well.

"I do," Hans answered. "She dreamt of the future and she died because she couldn't bear the thought of bringing a monster like me into this world."

"Hans, I…" she began.

"Were right," he cut off. "You were right…" He closed his eyes, looking down. "She saw the tyrant father became. She saw every son she bore him grow in maliciousness and cruelty and become just like _him_. She couldn't stop it. She couldn't save them… So she hated them… She didn't want to, but she hated them. Hated and loved them like she hated and loved my father… She couldn't save them… And then _I_ was born, and she swore to herself that she would _not_ let me become my father. My brothers. _Any_ of them… And she dared believe that she had succeeded. She dared believe… In _me_ … Her faith… It wasn't misplaced. I was so much more than them, more than father, more than… than _this_ … I was so much more… I was her rescuer, her savior. And then I wasn't…"

"What do you mean?" Elsa asked in a whisper, unable to look at him for the shame she felt at her words to him during the ball. Only a few days, a week maybe, and it still seemed like long ago…

Hans shook his head. "To get away meant to be sent to Arendelle. Given the freedom to try to escape. To be sent to Arendelle meant getting my father to give me a second glance. Getting a second glance meant building up his faith in me. Building up his faith in me… It meant becoming his lap dog, doing his dirty work, becoming everything mother fought so hard to keep me from being… And somehow it wasn't enough… Power… I wanted that power… And I got it. Oh _how_ I got it." He looked at his hands a moment in silence. "There is blood on my hands. So much blood…" He closed his fists and looked viciously up. "And when I realized all I had done, I went to her…" He shouldn't have.

 _"_ _Mother?" Hans said, pushing open the door to the library._

 _The queen looked up from her book and smiled softly at him. Lovingly. A smile kept only for him. A smile she'd long stopped being able to give his brothers. "What's wrong, my love?" she asked softly._

 _Hans felt his heart dropping and his stomach twisting. Tears burned his eyes and he swallowed, bowing his head. He approached her and knelt before her, taking her hands in his and kissing them. "Forgive me," he pled, voice breaking._

 _Her smile slowly fell to uncertainty. "Forgive you? Hans, what's wrong? What have you done? What is there to forgive?" she questioned, gently drawing a hand through his hair. In her voice he could hear her fear… He could hear she knew what he was about to say… He could hear her heart sinking, drowning, shattering._

 _He looked up at her, teeth gently clenched. He sobbed, resting her head on her knees and shaking his head. "I've become my brothers," he choked out when finally he could breathe again. She went as white as a sheet and as cold as ice, her grip on his hands tightening like a vice. Shock… A shock from which there would be no recovery this time._

Frozen

"The way she looked at me… the way her hand tightened on mine, the way she stopped breathing, the way… the way her heart began to pound… She never recovered... I tried to get her to speak to me, begged her to, but she couldn't… She couldn't, and I left in shame and as I shut the door I heard her break down into tears, sobbing so, so… She sounded like a mother mourning her dead children… I'd heard what that sounded like… She echoed it exactly… She never stopped crying again… Not that she had long to mourn. She died less than a month later… So much for being her rescuer."

"Hans…" Elsa began.

"Father went to find her. He came back in tears, carrying her body… And I never felt more despised than I did in that moment… Despised because they _all_ knew who and what it was that had killed the queen… I think I may have hated myself more than all of my brothers and my father combined… She died because her last son, her last chance, the baby boy she thought she could rescue, the child she thought could be saved, became the monster she prayed every night he wouldn't become…"

Elsa listened silently, watching him. Her eyes were soft, apologetic, pained. He was weeping, she saw. Silently. She wondered if he himself knew… He was weeping… Gently she reached out, her fingers brushing his cheek. He hardly seemed to notice, only shut his eyes tighter. Almost as if he couldn't bear the thought of being touched in such a way. "Monsters aren't supposed to be able to cry…" she murmured softly.

His eyes slowly opened, his head slowly lifted to look at her, teeth gently and painfully clenched. She looked into his eyes earnestly, sympathetically, kindly… That look was a look he couldn't bear, and quickly he turned from her, bowing his head again. "This one does," he answered.

"It isn't a monster sitting across from me," she gently replied. "Not anymore."

"Not in this moment at least," he answered, voice getting a little stronger as he began forcing himself to shut down and off again. She didn't want him to. She knew that when he did, whoever this person she spoke to now was, he would be gone. "Always good, never good enough... You wanted to know where it came from. I can't even remember, it's been said to me for so long... But I can tell you when it hurt the most and when I realized it was how they would always see me no matter how much I wished otherwise."

She was silent. She almost wished he wouldn't. Hadn't she torn open enough old wounds of his as it was? She should have let it go. She should have begged him not to say... But part of her wanted to know... "Tell me," she whispered.

Hans bitterly laughed, then was silent. "I couldn't save… I couldn't save my niece and nephew..." he finally said. "I had one job. That job was to keep my brother's children and wife alive, and I failed. I failed so miserably that…" He trailed off. She was looking at him in stunned shock, lips parted. He shook his head. "I couldn't protect them. I tried! I swear to god I tried so hard, but I couldn't save them. How could I? I was only... Just so much was happening and there were so many attacking, and my sister-in-law couldn't fight because she was in labor with their baby…"

"Stop," Elsa commanded. She couldn't do this. She couldn't put him through this. She wasn't sure she even wanted to know anymore. "Stop. You don't have to go on. Don't go on," she pled, noting the hints of desperation, perhaps even hysteria, threatening to rise in his voice.

Hans shook his head, closing his eyes tightly and gasping for air, willing himself to get a grip. "When he married her he was happy. He became normal. I could actually speak to him. _Any_ of us could, and he wasn't so… He wasn't dark, shut off. He was… he was normal…" Mael, Elsa realized with a chill. He had been married. He had had children! "When they died, that was it… No more Lars. No more normality. That brief time was over and then… then he was back to the way he had been before and nothing reached him anymore. Nothing could have hoped to ever again." Elsa was silent, head bowed and eyes tightly shut.

 _"_ _I tried. I_ _swear_ _to you I tried as hard as I could!" Hans defended frantically, sobbing._

 _"_ _Damn you, Hans! Damn you to hell!_ _ **You**_ _should have died in their place! It should be **you** rotting on the ground, **not** them!" Duach shrieked back, pointing in grief at their dead sister-in-law and her children spread around her… the unborn baby torn from her body… Lars cradled them in his arms wailing, rocking them in agony and begging for death to come and take him as well._

 _"_ _I did all I could! Lars, I wanted so badly to save them. I did my best! Everything! Please, please, I did all I could!" Hans pled to his mourning brother. Lars didn't hear. He would never hear him again…_

 _"_ _You did your best? Your_ _ **best**_ _?!" Jürgen shouted. "Of_ _ **course**_ _you did your best! You always do, don't you, huh?!_ _ **Don't**_ _you?! Always good never good enough, Hans! You are always good and never good enough!"_

 _"_ _Get out of our sight," Caleb suddenly and hollowly and darkly said._

 _"_ _Caleb…" Hans began._

 _"_ _Get out!" Caleb bellowed, pointing. "Get out! Get out! Get out!" Terrified for his life, his brothers suddenly all turning on him at once, weeping and with swords drawn to cut him down, Hans turned and fled for his life as they gave pursuit. If not for his father, ironically enough - the king had despised the woman Mael had chosen to marry - he knew he would have died that day. Instead he became his father's hero. Medal, ceremony... If only the hatred in the air could have killed him. His brothers' hatred._

Frozen

Elsa was silent, eyes screwed tightly shut as he told her of what had happened. "You can't look at me," Hans suddenly remarked in a murmur, breaking her out of her grief. _Why_ was she feeling such grief? She shivered as the significance and weight of his words struck her. For how long, she wondered, had his brothers not been able to look at him after? Months? Years? Had they ever really looked again? She wouldn't be his brothers.

She sniffed and raised her head, meeting his green eyes. "Yes I can," she replied. He shook his head and looked away. Perhaps _he_ was the one who couldn't look. At her, at himself, at _anyone_ …

Softly she placed a hand on his shoulder. He glanced at the hand curiously then jumped as suddenly her arms were around him. His body stiffened, unsure how to respond to this action and hardly understanding what it was. What was she doing? Was she… Was she _hugging_ him? He blinked, trying to process it before deciding his mental energy was spent. No more processing. Just do. After a moment he held her back, burying his face in her hair and letting his tears fall. "You will _be_ good enough," she whispered to him. "This time you will be good enough." He sobbed. He couldn't hold it back anymore. He never wanted to have to again, though he knew that was only wishful thinking. Never before had he heard such words, Elsa realized. Well, he was hearing them now.

"Forgive me," she barely heard him whisper. To her? To his dead sister-in-law and nieces and nephews? To his dead mother, or to his absent brothers? Maybe he spoke only to himself. She didn't know. She didn't need to. It didn't matter now anyway. All that mattered was this. She wouldn't say she forgave him, and she couldn't speak for any of the others or him, but she would stay here with the prince until all of this pain ended... Maybe, in a strange abstract way, she felt some of her own slipping away as well...


	18. Infiltration

Infiltration

(A/N: Only this chapter and two more left to go before the end of this story. I'm pleased it's gone over so well. Thank you for all the reviews and support, all of you. Bit of trivia, the name I gave Hans's mother is the name of the mother of Hans Christian Andersen. I'm not overly pleased with this chapter, so feedback on it will be welcome, but the next two are better, I swear.)

They looked towards the hobgoblin's lair from their place on the ridge. The amounts of trolls and sprites had greatly diminished, most seeking for them elsewhere. Perhaps, by now, at the springs they'd only left that very morning. To keep moving was to live at this point. Elsa looked back. Sure enough, she saw figures in that general area. "It's good we left when we did," she remarked.

"Hmm," Hans replied, glancing back. He looked forward towards the palace again. "It's still going to be a job getting there."

"But one we can manage, now," Elsa pointed out. Neither of them had spoken about last evening. Odds were they never would again. At least not for a long time. Hans wanted to forget it had ever happened, that he'd ever displayed that kind of weakness. To _her_ no less. Elsa… She wasn't sure why she didn't want to think about it. She wasn't sure why she wanted to pretend it hadn't happened. Perhaps her own stubborn pride, perhaps a combination of many other things. She wasn't going to bother analyzing it right now. Just… For now, as far as either of them were concerned, it hadn't happened. He was still the despicable man who tried to usurp her throne, and she was still the ice maiden who ruined his plans along with her sister.

 _That isn't the reason you hate her…_

He rejected the fleeting thought immediately. Why he hated her was no one's business but his. "The rock bridge. We should be able to travel along it with relative ease. Along the side, that is. There are a lot of footholds. It'll be dangerous, but if you think you can handle that rock climb, it's our best bet. We can't walk up to the front door and we can't travel on the ground beneath it. Not only is it a crevasse, but I'm betting at the bottom there are patrols, and along the cliff walls as well," Hans said.

"I can handle it," Elsa replied. "What are we going to do about the horses?"

Hans was quiet, thinking. "Let them go," he finally answered. "Odds are they'll return to Arendelle or find a pasture."

"Or follow us somehow. Find a way down more suited to them," Elsa said. "Sitron doesn't seem the type of steed to abandon his master to something like this."

Sitron snorted as Hans absently stroked the horse's neck. "As long as he's still alive at the end of the day, he can do what he wants," Hans answered. Sitron whinnied, tossing his head. Hans smirked at his horse. His smirk fell. "We part ways here, boy," he gently said to it. Horses weren't mountain goats. From here on in, it was just him and Elsa until they got to that fortress. Sitron whinnied in protest as Hans dismounted. He grabbed his master's cloak, trying to hold him back. "Enough, Sitron. You knew this was coming," Hans said. Sitron whinnied sadly then neighed as Elsa slipped off of her ice mare and joined Hans. Hans glanced at her. "Have you thought of a name for your mare?" he questioned her.

"What was your mother's name?" Elsa questioned.

Hans blinked, taken aback. Finally he answered, "Anne Marie… Her name was Anne Marie…"

"Then Anne Marie is what she's called," Elsa said.

Hans was quiet. Part of him wanted to thank her. The other part wanted to kill her for her audacity. Finally he shook his head. "I wish I could understand you," he said, as he had once before.

"I wish the same in regards to you," she answered, looking at him. He nodded with a small smile, accepting the statement. She smiled back. "Let's go… On the way down maybe you can tell me about that dream you had in my ice palace. Just to pass the time." And keep their attention off the deadly drop. Hans nodded. She started down and his smile fell. Tell her of it? Tell her of the troll king's deal, of all it had been said, of all it had offered him if he brought her into the creature's clutches? He supposed he could, but really, did he _want_ to? He shook his head. Whatever he decided, at least part of it could be told either way. He followed her down. Worriedly their horses looked after them, nickering nervously.

Frozen

"Can't you illusion our way out of here?!" Kristoff demanded of Mael.

"I'm a sorcerer, not the elf king," Mael answered. "Illusion is not something I have. I can shape shift into a dark animal form, call forth creatures of dark magic, heal to a degree, and foretell the future, but I can't do illusion for the life of me."

"We've tried everything!" Kristoff said in frustration. "I mean sure your dark giant weakened the walls, but it isn't enough!"

"But it might be enough for Hans and Elsa to be able to finish the job," Rhun pointed out.

"At what cost?" Kristoff asked.

"That is yet to be seen," Moren declared weakly from where he lay, looking near to death. Mael was tending him as best he could, but there was little to be done without proper supplies, and Mael was loathe to use his dark magic.

"Mael, can't you look into the future and tell what will happen?" Anna asked suddenly from her spot woefully looking up at the roof.

"I fear to know," Mael answered. Anna was quiet. So did she, to be honest. Oh Elsa… Please be safe.

Frozen

Gingerly Elsa and Hans picked their way across the side of the bridge. A snowstorm raged, but the rock bridge blocked a good deal of wind strength. They looked down and quickly looked up again, exchanging glances. Looking down was a bad idea. Vertigo was hitting hard. "I'm terrified," Elsa admitted.

"Full disclosure? So am I," Hans said, eyes shut as he willed the dizzy spell to pass. They heard footsteps above and hardly dared breathe. A troll patrolled the bridge right above them. If it just looked over the side, they were spotted. Not that it could easily reach them from up there, but there was no way either of them would get off of this bridge alive or free if the alarm was sounded. Hans checked the ropes he had on him and tied one fast to a rock. Here they'd need to use the rope to climb down lower and to the next relatively safe ledge. He went down first, as soon as the troll passed overhead. Elsa followed and quickly enough they were on relatively stable ground again.

"Be honest. How long do you think it'll take going this slow?" Elsa asked.

"A few hours," Hans ruefully admitted, shaking his head. "But better that than never." He suddenly slipped and cried out. Elsa immediately seized him, pulling him back to balance. He looked down, heart pounding out of his chest and eyes wide in terror. The ledge had just given way under his foot!

"Yeah, death would be pretty inconvenient about now," Elsa deadpanned, giving him a hard glare once her heart started beating again. Especially so close to their destination.

"It just broke under me!" Hans insisted. They heard a growl and stiffened. The troll. It must have heard the cry! It… was a troll, right? Suddenly there was dead silence. Not a good kind either.

"I just got a chill up my spine," Elsa murmured.

"I just got one through my whole body," Hans said grimly. He knelt on the ledge and leaned over it, anchoring a rope tightly there. "We should keep moving," he said, rising. Suddenly there was a roar and sharply the two looked up with gasps. Looking over the edge was the troll of the bridge! Above its head it held a massive boulder.

"Look out!" Elsa exclaimed.

"Move!" Hans exclaimed as the creature threw it down at them with a roar. Too late. The boulder slammed against the side of the bridge and the whole portion below the walkway started to crumble! They cried out as they felt ground give out under them. As they fell with screams, Hans instinctively threw out his hands, hoping and praying they caught something. He felt rope. The one he'd just tied! Automatically his hands wrapped around it. Elsa, in turn, instinctively threw her arms around his neck, and the two of them swung downwards.

The queen, losing her grip on the prince, cried, "Hans!" She lost her hold, falling with a scream.

Immediately—it was just instinct, it had to be, he wouldn't have saved her of his own accord, he knew—Hans released the rope with one hand and caught her around the waist, stopping her fall and pulling her close to him. She wrapped one arm around him and looked after the collapsing rocks. Wait, the beast would be waiting to see them fall! Immediately she crafted two ice forms, replicas of her and Hans. Maybe it would be enough. Sure enough, as they swung in the whipping wind, they heard the troll roar in victory and head back towards the castle to report their 'demise'.

Frozen

So there they hung, dangling. They looked upwards, both with teeth gritted. Oh this just got better and better. "Now what?!" Elsa called over the wind.

"Your turn to come up with an idea!" Hans replied. "All of _mine_ seem to be failing. Maybe _you'll_ have better luck."

Elsa looked around hopelessly. There had to be _something_ they could do! They couldn't just dangle here like this forever. Hans was probably having a hard time keeping them both up as it was. She set her sights on the other side and narrowed her eyes. There, through the snow. She saw what looked to be a cave. Perhaps another entrance or a weak spot in the fortress. Ice bridge time. She could only pray it held up. Aiming a hand towards it, she began forming said ice bridge from the mouth of the cave towards them. Hans watched in awe and disbelief. Soon it was beneath them, and only then did the prince let go. "Problem solved," Elsa proudly said, smiling.

"Wow, tell me about it," Hans replied. Too bad they hadn't seen that tunnel from the other side. They could have saved themselves a lot of effort.

"We're almost in," Elsa said.

"Elsa, getting in is the easy part," Hans dryly replied. Elsa tensed and gave him a look of disbelief. He shook his head helplessly and shrugged before setting off towards the tunnel. Elsa looked up at the fortress worriedly and followed him.

Frozen

The two stood in the tunnel. They had lit a small fire to warm up before venturing forward. Warm up and plan. "What do we do from here?" Elsa questioned. "How can we save our siblings and my people?"

"I'm thinking," Hans replied.

"We don't have time to think!" Elsa protested.

"So what? You want to run in there gung ho with no plan and no strategy? Just go right up to the once-man and say 'hey, we want our siblings and people back, give them to us'? I don't think so!" Hans replied.

"I never said that's what we should do," she said.

"What else could that even mean?!" Hans demanded.

"I was just saying we're running out of time," she defended.

"You think I don't _know_ that?!" Hans snapped.

"You're taking it out of context, Hans!" she sharply said.

"Oh for the love of… Look, just let me figure this out," he replied with an exasperated sigh.

"We've figured it out! There _is_ a plan," Elsa said. Hans scoffed, turning his back on her and starting to pace, going through the plans and ideas. Maybe _she'd_ figured it out, but he was the one who… never mind. Elsa watched him restlessly pacing, looking agitated and lost in thought. She looked down. After a moment she turned her gaze to him again. "Chameleon Prince," she said.

He froze in place and didn't move. "What?" he finally asked. "I told you not to…" he began, starting to turn sharply on her.

"I'll call you whatever I please," Elsa replied.

"If you say that title again…" Hans began.

"You are the Chameleon Prince," she repeated defiantly. "That's all you need to get through this. After all, you're adaptable to anything."

Hans scowled. Viciously he turned to her. "Watch your tongue, 'your majesty'," he sneered."

"Remember your place, traitor!" Elsa shot, rising.

"That's it! I'm going at this alone. I've had it up to here with you!" he shouted, holding his hand over his head. Way over it.

"Then go at it alone! You'll fail at rescuing them just like you fail at everything else! Besides, it saves me the trouble of having you executed or imprisoned! I'll save my sister on my own," she replied, rising and marching farther into the tunnel, hating herself for what she'd just said. Had she not just the other night told him he would be good enough? No, no, that had never happened. They'd silently and mutually agreed it hadn't.

 _But it had..._

"We'll see about that," Hans darkly growled after her retreating form. With a scoff he turned his back, kicked out the fire, and went his own way up. She was gone. Good. Now he could sort things out. He had ideas. This just made it that much easier to go through with them.

Frozen

Elsa climbed out of the tunnel panting. She found herself staring at the back walls. Stables were here, the horses well-tended. Good. They would need those for their escape. She heard whinnying and looked back. Sitron and Anne were there too, watching from a distance. Even better, she inwardly noted. Now she only needed to find the dungeons where her sister, Kristoff, and Hans's brothers were being held. Immediately, carefully, she advanced on the castle to search for a safe way in. Or even a window above ground that looked deep into the dungeon where they were being kept. The odds any such thing would exist or be on the surface were low, but she could hope.

Elsa heard a door creaking open and gasped, looking over. A secret passage was opening in the castle wall! Her eyes widened and swiftly she dodged out of sight. She peered carefully out as a group of three large trolls lumbered out carrying huge legs of meat. They looked horse sized and she shuddered. So that was the fate for the steeds in the stables. At least some of them. The sprites, it seemed, wouldn't touch the animals. The trolls, on the other hand, were glad to. The part troll part sprite… she wondered what _he_ did. She probably didn't _want_ to know. She quickly slipped out of hiding and ran for the slowly shutting passageway. She was putting a lot of faith in the hope the trolls wouldn't turn. It seemed she was right to. They didn't look back, and she entered without incident just before the passage shut.

Heart pounding, she took a breath. Alright, now she was in the lion's den. It was pitch black in here. She squinted, trying to see something. Her eyes began to adjust. At least enough that she could pick out shapes and follow the wall with relative ease. She hoped and prayed she didn't run into another troll, or that those ones didn't come back. She needed to get out of this passage. Here she was a sitting duck. Some minutes later, she was at a dead end. Or what appeared to be one. She frowned. The passage hadn't at any point branched off, so this was obviously a secret door of some sort. She just needed to find a way through it.

Elsa began feeling the wall for any telltale nooks or crannies. "Come on, come on," she willed silently. Suddenly the door began to move and she blinked. Had she done it? She straightened up with a grin, almost cheering. Until she heard a growl from the other side. She caught her breath. She hadn't found the way out, but something was coming in! She instantly pressed herself as tightly against the wall as she could, teeth clenched in alarm.

 _Don't let it see, don't let it see, don't let it see…_

The troll lumbered by slowly, not even turning. Quickly Elsa got out of the passage before that mockery of the fae had a chance to catch her scent and investigate. She would much rather be dealing with sprites, about now. Though she supposed in a battle situation the dark sprites were the _last_ things she wanted to contend with. Trolls she could handle, more or less, if they weren't as good at magic as Grand Pabby, but sprites? Their magic was more powerful than even the trolls, and that was a force Elsa had no interest in dealing with if it could be helped. She looked around the portion of the palace she'd entered. If there was a secret passage there, maybe the dungeons weren't too far off? She wasn't sure of her reasoning for that. She supposed that if the dungeons were isolated, there was no easy exit, and so in case of attack a secret exit would be used. There was this secret exit, so surely a prison of some sort was near? There were many doors, though, and she didn't like the idea of opening them up one by one. Luck wouldn't hold out forever, and if she opened the wrong door she could find herself face-to-face with a whole group of enemies that she was not prepared to handle. At all. Carefully she started down the hall keeping her eyes and ears open for any tells. With luck, the dungeon would be obvious. After all, there was no reason to hide it. Not in a palace full of trolls and sprites.

Frozen

Hans, meanwhile, was picking his way through the cave. It had to join to the palace somewhere. That would be his way in. He rounded a corner and heard a low grow. He froze. Coming towards him was a light. His eyes widened. One of the creature's followers! He inwardly cursed and turned, quickly starting to make his way back… only to freeze again, eyes widening. Coming from the direction of the place they'd started the fire was another light! Something must have sensed the smoke and gone to investigate, which meant these things knew trespassers were near.

Hans looked one way then the other. There had to be a way out of this! Frantically he scanned for a hideout or a nook to press into. There was nothing! Great. Just in line with his luck. His eyes widened slowly in realization. Actually… maybe this could be twisted to his advantage after all… A plan was being developed. He smirked to himself coldly. Yeah, this could work. They wouldn't see it coming.

Frozen

Elsa made her way cautiously down a foreboding staircase. It was apparent where it led. Finally, the dungeons.

 _Anna, I'm coming._

She reached the bottom and looked cautiously around. No enemies in sight. She began to run quietly through them, looking frantically in at every cell she came by hoping and praying it or the next would have her sister, Kristoff, and the princes inside. Suddenly a hand was on her shoulder and she let out a little scream, turning sharply.

"It's okay! It's just me," a voice said.

"Hans," Elsa whispered with a gasp. "I was afraid you weren't going to go through with this."

"Chameleon Prince," Hans replied, smirking. "Besides, that whole argument in the cave? Yeah, it… was kind of an overreaction."

"No, it's okay. I get it," Elsa said. "This is hard on you. It'll be hard on us _both_."

"I just… I wanted another _way_. If only to up the odds of survival," Hans said. "But right now… Right now I guess it's best to play your strengths. And divided we aren't going to be able to do this. We need each other."

"As much as we wish we didn't," she ruefully agreed, shaking her head.

"You're heading the wrong way," Hans said.

"What? This isn't the dungeon?" Elsa questioned.

"No, but they'll end up here at some point if we don't hurry," Hans replied.

"What do you mean?" Elsa asked.

"This is where they put the bodies," Hans seriously answered. Elsa blanched. Hans nodded grimly and led the way back up the stairs. Elsa looked worriedly down the corridor once more, then followed him.

Frozen

"You really know your way around," Elsa suspiciously remarked after a while.

"I know. Remember the dream I told you?" Hans asked, frowning at her.

"Right, the dream… Sorry… It's just kind of hard to shake the feeling…" she began before trailing off.

"That I'll betray you?" Hans deadpanned. She didn't answer. He sighed. "Let's just get this done."

"Right. The sooner this ends, the sooner we all can get on with our lives," Elsa said.

"You, maybe," Hans dryly said. "I have a trial and sentencing to look forward to. One that will more likely than not end in hanging by the neck until dead or being beheaded." Or, on the Southern Isles, getting stoned to death. Which he had little doubt his brothers would take pleasure in doing. They'd attempted it before… Anyway, he doubted Arendelle practiced that brutal and barbaric of an execution method, so stoning was probably out of the question.

"I told your brothers you would be acquitted of the death sentence," Elsa replied.

"Frankly, your majesty, I would _rather_ be executed then spend the rest of my life behind bars or in exile." Well, maybe not exile. Exile would, if nothing else, get him away from his brothers once and for all, but still. He highly doubted he'd be so fortunate as to get that. Besides, begging on the streets for the rest of his life or hiring himself out as a laborer? Yeah, he could do without that.

"Regardless, that's not a bridge we need to worry about crossing yet," she said.

"Right, find the dungeons, save our families and your people, get out," Hans said as they hurried down another corridor. Every moment spent inside of this castle was another moment closer to being found out. They couldn't stay in the shadows forever. The moment the patrols came back, they were doomed. "There's another branching hallway up ahead. If we go to the left then take a right when _it_ branches, the door to the dungeons should be right in front of us."

"We're almost there," Elsa breathlessly said, heart beating rapidly. Her sister would be free again. Her people! Hans's brothers too. They were so close. If they could just…

Just then a furious roar was heard. They slid to a stop with gasps as all at once, from up above in the beams, a troll leapt down! Cruel laughter was heard coming from another direction and the two gasped, looking over. "They've found us!" Hans exclaimed, falling into a back-to-back position with Elsa. "The trolls and sprites both!"

Elsa prepared to fight back. "Stay focused! As long as the whole army doesn't come we should do okay, right?" she asked.

"Are you crazy?!" Hans demanded. "We're two mortals fighting the fae!"

"Not completely mortal," Elsa replied, smirking. Immediately she began to launch her ice at the troll, who roared in anger and charged them.

Frozen

Elsa focused attention on slowing it while Hans began taking on the sprites that were, at least for now, not using magic. Why weren't they using magic, Elsa wondered? It was good for her and Hans, yes, but not so much for the sprites and trolls. It didn't sit well with her, but she couldn't focus too much on the oddity at the moment. She kind of had to stay alive and keep Hans alive. He was fully intent on repaying the favor. He fought against their enemies furiously, skillfully. She inwardly questioned if he _wasn't_ in the top three of his brothers for skillset with a blade. Hans danced around one of the attackers and quickly struck it from behind. He spun in time to catch the attack of another and drove his sword into it, making it shriek in pain and fall back. His eyes and jaw were set determinedly, and his whole focus was on them.

Elsa sent out ice spikes at the troll, then caused more to rain from above. The troll roared in agony as the various spears struck him. Fortunately for it, and unfortunately for them, the beast's hide was like rock! Which, given what she knew of Kristoff's little trolls, wasn't entirely surprising, but still. It was proving to be an inconvenience she didn't have the patience for. She had to reach Anna! And they had to settle this before more enemies were alerted.

"Elsa, switch targets!" Hans called. He was more likely to be able to handle a troll with his sword. It was fae in a sense, after all, and steel seemed to be something of a weakness of theirs. He hoped. He wasn't great at theory. Either way, though, Elsa was more equip to handle the power of the sprites, and her ice could take on more targets than his single blade could.

"Alright!" Elsa agreed. Quickly they switched positions and Hans ran directly at the troll, eyes locked on his target like an eagle's eyes locked on prey. Elsa, meanwhile, called up a blizzard to surround her and began shooting icy spears, spike walls, and lances at anything that dared try and attack. Those that got close were ripped into by the blizzard, those that tried to retreat to alert others were struck by the lances and spears, while those about the mid-ground were taken care of by the icicle walls. Hans couldn't help but watch in wonder as she took on her target, before he focused once more on the troll. He dodged around the massive club it tried to bring down on him and immediately slashed at its legs. It roared in anguish as the blade struck an unprotected portion of leg. Hans took the distraction as an opening to get behind it, and so did, leaping onto its back—damn, this thing was like four or five of Kristoff's trolls tall—and hanging on to get a good opening at another weak spot. Seeing its side exposed, he drove his sword into the troll violently.

Frozen

The roar of another troll could be heard, the sounds of more sprites, and Elsa and Hans regrouped, panting. "This is not good," Elsa said.

"Go! Get Anna, Kristoff, my brothers, and your people out! I'll buy you time!" Hans shouted at her.

"What? Leave you here alone facing _this_?! Hans, we can hardly deal with it together! If you're left alone you'll be slaughtered!" Elsa protested.

"Just go, Elsa! If we both die, no one will be able to save the others, but if I can just stall for time, give you a chance to release my brothers, they can come and help fight! We'll stand something of a chance!" Hans said.

"But…" Elsa began, uneasy about this.

"Please! Just get them!" Hans pled. She looked at him, teeth clenched in worry. She was torn, her eyes reflected as much, but he made a point. At this rate they would both die no matter what. If she could get the others, though… After all, there was a chance Hans would still be alive by the time they returned to help. He had a penchant for defying death and fate, it seemed.

"Be alive when I get back," she ordered, turning and running.

"Yeah, right. Be alive," Hans muttered, facing the force now approaching him. Two trolls, one injured, and about 50 sprites now, with the reinforcements that had come. Oh, _this_ was going to be fun. Note the sarcasm. He took a breath and swung his sword around, eyes narrowed challengingly.


	19. Treachery and the Devil's Advocate

Treachery and the Devil's Advocate

(A/N: Prepare for a roller coaster of emotions, not of the sad variety, but I swear to you that if you read this chapter through to the end, you won't be disappointed. I hope. A lot of stuff happens in it, honestly thought it would be longer than it is, but nonetheless here it is. One more chapter left to go up after this.)

Elsa ran down the corridors, determined to reach the others quickly. Soon enough she came to the door. She began freezing the lock the moment she saw it. By the time she reached the doors, she only needed to shatter it. She did so, driving an ice block into it with as much force as she could. It was enough, and the lock broke. She threw open the doors and ran down the stairs quickly. She wanted to erect ice walls behind her, in case Hans fell and the creatures came after _her_ , but there was the possibility Hans would slip away, and if he did the last thing she wanted was to have built up a wall that would trap and doom him if he couldn't pass it, so despite her misgivings and unease, she left the path clear.

Elsa threw open one more set of doors blocking her way, and slammed them shut again. These ones she froze over. If Hans reached them, he would call out and she could unfreeze it so he could get in. She looked back and caught her breath. The cells! "Anna, Kristoff!" she called, running through them. "Anna, Kristoff, where are you?!"

Frozen

In the cell, still trying to find a way out, the princes, Anna, and Kristoff froze, looking sharply over with wide eyes. "Was that…?" Kelin-Sel began.

"Elsa!" Anna shouted, leaping up and racing to the door, grasping the enchanted bars. She knew they were enchanted because if they weren't, they would have gotten out of here days ago. "Elsa, over here! Elsa!"

"Elsa, we're near the back, hurry!" Kristoff joined in shouting.

Elsa grinned so widely it hurt. She felt tears of relief stinging her eyes, but there was no time to break down now. The tearful reunion could happen when they were safe, not before. "I'm coming! Anna, Kristoff, are the princes with you?!"

"We are, your majesty!" Iscawin called out. "All of us! And your people are in the room at the very end of this corridor. Is Hans with you?!"

Elsa's grin fell to a worried expression. "We-we lost each other in the palace, but he'll be okay!" she called back. A lie, but right now wasn't the time to explain the whole situation to them. There was no time for it. "I hope," she added quietly. She saw her sister's hand waving out between the windows and ran to it, taking it in hers. "Anna!" she exclaimed.

"Elsa, you came! Hurry, get us out! If that wicked sprite learns you're here…" Anna began. Suddenly Elsa was seized from behind and screamed. "Elsa!" Anna shrieked as her sister was torn from her.

"No, Anna, Kristoff!" Elsa cried in dismay, struggling. She tried to use her powers only to scream in pain as they were channelled back into her and converted into something decidedly _not_ her magic. Her legs gave out as she gasped in pain, feeling dizzy and nearly passing out. All that was holding her up was whatever had seized her.

"No!" Kristoff cried out.

"Your Majesty!" Iscawin shouted, protective instinct going into overdrive.

"You know, I gave you more credit than this. I dared think you were less naïve than your sister. Guess I was wrong," a voice, an all too painfully familiar one, said.

Elsa, shaking, weakly looked up, eyes opening. "Hans?" she gasped in pain. He was leaning against the wall with an icy and traitorous smirk on his lips, eyes cruel and merciless.

"Really, you shouldn't be so surprised at this," the prince answered, straightening up and approaching her. "You knew what I was, after all." Elsa felt a chill shoot up her spine.

Frozen

"You bastard!" Anna shrieked, tears flowing from her eyes. Oh how she wanted to rip out his pretty eyes. And his tongue. And pretty well his every extremity and sensory organ.

"When I get my hands on you, pretty boy, I'll rip your head off your body, you hear me?!" Kristoff screamed in outrage. "I'll rip your head off!"

Hans's brothers, on the other hand, were stunned beyond words, looking at their sibling in numb disbelief. "What, you can't say anything?" Hans asked them, attention painfully obviously focused on his siblings. "No remark of hatred, surprise, awe? Not a surprise, I suppose. Not like you could _ever_ say much," Hans said to them.

Iscawin, first to find his voice, felt his knees give out and fell to them with a gasp, looking down. He couldn't look at his brother. He couldn't. "Why…?" he finally managed to hoarsely whisper. "Why…?" he asked again, voice breaking as he closed his eyes tightly.

Hans knelt in front of him and tilted his brother's chin up to face him. Eyes cold, he answered, "Because I could." He roughly let go and rose again, going to Elsa. "Sorry, your highness, but the troll king offered a deal no sane man could refuse. In exchange for you, whatever I wanted."

"You _believed_ him?!" Jürgen freaked, lunging at the cell bars and seizing them. "You piece of sh…" he began to sputter before forcing himself to get a grip. Getting hysterical or furious would do no good at this point. He knew how minds like Hans worked. The less you gave them, the less satisfying it was, the more likely they were to… You know what, he didn't even know. "Hans, he's lying to you. He always has, he always will. The curse on our family is blinding you, baby brother. Snap out of it."

Apparently he wasn't doing a good job at hiding his fear and shock, because Hans icily laughed. "Spare me the lecture," he scoffed, turning back to Elsa and looking at her. She, breathing a little heavily, slowly looked up at him with a scowl, eyes filled with tears of hatred.

Flashback

As the creatures closed in on him from both sides, he looked at his sword, considered fighting, then determined it would do no good. Not now. He growled in annoyance and tucked it away. He stood still, waiting for them to come. There was always a way out. After all, now that they were here, he had little use for _Elsa_ anymore. Those things could believe as much. She was disposable and so she'd be disposed of. He was forced to admit that the closer he got to the palace, the more drawn he was to the idea of the power the wicked sprite could offer. If he played his cards right, he could turn this whole thing around on his head. After all, what loyalty did he have to his brothers again? Not like he'd shed a tear if they were 'disappeared' permanently. And Anna and Kristoff? Hah! They were as expendable as Elsa at this point. The citizens of Arendelle, ideally, would be freed, but if not, hey, collateral damage happened. Thinking about it, was the curse on his family really so bad?

The creatures seized him, rather than killing him, and brought him away. So, they knew who he was. Good. Made his job easier. They dragged him to the throne room of the wicked sprite. Hans looked ahead at the massive doors they were about to pass through. Apparently his captors were addressing their king, probably telepathically or however the Fair Folk communicated when not in words. They had to be if they hadn't killed him yet, or bound him. They were through the doors now, then before the king. They tossed him down in front of the creature. He fell on hands and knees, scowling. His eyes narrowed and he stood, brushing himself off. He glared defiantly at the once man. Humph, that title was a mockery for what this thing was. The troll guards nodded for Hans to speak to the king. Oh this was too easy. What had he been concerned about again? Then he remembered and grimaced. Best not to let his guard down here.

He approached the throne and knelt before the wicked sprite that was sitting in all his hybrid glory. It took on the form of a man and smiled chillingly at the young prince. "You have a death wish, or there is some ulterior motive in your approaching me," the creature said. "Where is the queen?"

"Dead," Hans lied. "Or if she isn't now, she will be."

"Oh?" the troll asked, feigning surprise.

"It was the fall that took her and separated us," Hans said. Was it wise to lie? If he got caught, no, but telling the truth would only make the sprite suspicious, and frankly, he wanted to transition into this new allegiance as smoothly as possible and forget he was ever working against it. After all, doing good got you nowhere. _This_ , on the other hand… Enough said. He'd tell the truth, in time, once he was more firmly established as trustworthy. Oh _how_ he'd tell the truth. "I didn't see a body, but she certainly couldn't save herself like I did, because she was nowhere to be seen when the dust cleared. I'm not approaching you to discuss Elsa or what may or may not have befallen her. All I'll say to that matter is that if she's here, I'll find her and I'll kill her _myself_. And make sure the body is really a body."

"You who has thus far been helping her? Fighting my soldiers? Attacking my sort? Hiding from all those I send after you?" the creature incredulously replied.

"Yeah, well that much time left alone to my thoughts kind of put me on the fence. You, after all, made a tempting case in that dream you set on me. Would you like to see if you can finally push me over in one direction or the other?" Hans questioned. Of course he'd already chosen his side. It should be obvious which one that was.

"Why would you consider this thing? This treachery?" the wicked sprite questioned.

"Chameleon Prince," Hans replied with a shrug. "Who's to say I haven't had an ulterior motive since the start? I despise my brothers, I despise the queen and princess, I have no loyalty to Arendelle, and what I want more than anything is power. Maybe playing the part of ally was just my way of reaching you alive while not betraying my other plans."

"And what plans are those?" the troll king asked.

"To finish what I started," Hans answered. "Kill the queen and princess, secure my place as ruler. And for good measure, kill my brothers and ensure that even if Arendelle doesn't accept me as its king, the Southern Isles won't have a choice _but_ to. Well, once by siblings' heirs are taken care of."

"Why would I believe this?" the sprite questioned.

"That's not my question to answer. But if you want proof of my allegiance, well… just say the word," Hans replied. "Whatever it takes, I will prove to you my side is and has always been against Elsa. You told me you wanted her alive. So if she's alive, I'll bring her to you. It'll be easy. She trusts me, by now. I made sure of it. Playing the right cards, telling a couple of heart-wrenching stories, opening up about a few things… It does wonders for building trust. Especially for someone as merciful as her."

The troll was quiet a long moment. Finally it smirked maliciously. "If that is so, and if you're ready to take on your family's blessing, then who am I to prevent you? I'm sure you will prove soon enough where your allegiance lies."

"With you and you alone," Hans said, bowing lower. "Or it will be. Once problems are dealt with. If Elsa's alive, she's in the palace now and searching for her sister and my brothers… And it will be my greatest delight to show her just how wrong she was… Some men can't, and shouldn't, be forgiven or shown mercy. I'm one of them. She was just too desperate to save Anna to see it. Tell me where the dungeon is and we'll get started."

The wicked sprite smirked cruelly, approvingly, and nodded. "So be it. Go to your brothers and show them just where your loyalty lies."

"With pleasure," Hans replied. "It'll be nice to see them squirm for a change."

End Flashback

"Take her to the wicked troll," Hans commanded the sprites and trolls. "Get her out of my sight. I've been stuck with the monstrous sorceress queen long enough."

"You'll suffer for this," Elsa hissed. "Mark my words."

"What are you going to do dead or his prisoner?" Hans cooed to her. He blew her a kiss and she scoffed, looking away from him. Roughly the trolls and sprites pulled her away.

"Elsa! Elsa, no! Bring her back! Bring back my sister!" Anna screamed in tears. She burst into sobs, collapsing in Kristoff's arms. Kristoff could only scowl disgustedly at the youngest prince.

Hans turned attention back to them all. His brothers remained stunned. Iscawin remained kneeling on the ground with head hung. "How could you…?" Kelin-Sel finally breathed.

"For the torment you all put _me_ through, consider this a mercy," Hans answered. "I _could_ have had you all tortured like Moren was."

"How could you…?" Kelin-Sel repeated numbly.

Hans harrumphed. "Could even the slivers of the mirror in your eyes and heart change you into what we see before us now…?" Mael whispered, _barely_ whispered, eyes filled with pain. Tears filled them and he closed his eyes tightly, willing them back.

Hans's arms folded tighter around himself, his eyes narrowing more. "That depends on whether I ever had them to start with," he answered. "If not, then, well, what can I say? I'm a deplorable monster. And I'm done with you. _All_ of you. Starve to death in these miserable catacombs, for all I care." With that, he turned and left.

Frozen

The others watched numbly after him. "This… it can't… Hans…" Coth said, voice breaking.

"Do we… do we really deserve… Everything that we did to… Oh god…" Duach numbly stated, collapsing back onto a seat. "We did this… We turned him into… god, no! Please no!" he sobbed, covering his mouth. Duach never, ever broke down, and so to see this now… There was no more that needed to be said. "Don't let this be true," he begged through sobs.

"Whatever the matter of it, we can't do anything anymore… He's left us to die…" Justic whispered.

"And I've gotten us a way out," Iscawin suddenly said. They all sharply turned to him. He was rising. In his fingers dangled a key ring! Their eyes widened.

"Are those the keys to the dungeon?!" Connyn freaked.

"Damn right," Iscawin stated, looking at them. "We free ourselves, we free the people, we save Elsa, we deal with Hans."

"How did you even…?" Calcas began.

"I snagged them," Iscawin answered.

"Did you now? You've never been a pickpocket, Iscawin," Franz said, looking dubiously at him. "No matter _how_ hard I tried to teach you to be."

"Yeah, well, desperate times," Iscawin replied.

Rhun looked as doubtful as Franz. "Oh really?" he asked.

"Yes really," Iscawin defended, frowning at the other. Rhun still seemed unconvinced, but made no further comment. After all, his brother _was_ holding the keys in his hand.

"Then we need to move. Now," Moren stated. "As quickly as we possibly can." Iscawin nodded and immediately unlocked the cell door. Quickly they ran out and raced to free Arendelle's citizens.

"I can sense the way out. Half of us need to guide them to freedom, the other half need to go after Hans and Elsa," Mael stated.

"Iscawin, Anna, the triplets, Duach, Franz, and I, will go after Elsa and Hans. The rest of you get the citizens out and away from here. As far away as possible. Our time is limited. If that hobgoblin gets his hands on Elsa…" Moren began.

"He won't!" Iscawin immediately stated, eyes narrowing. "Over my dead body will he get anywhere _near_ her!"

"Here, here!" Anna agreed.

"Duach..." Rhun uneasily began. He hated it every time his twin, semi-twin, was away from him. And they were apart often. It made his big brother instinct scream in protest and frankly felt like his other half was disappearing for good.

"I've come out of worse, brother. So have you," Duach assured, placing his hand on the other's shoulder. "I'll be fine." Rhun hesitated then sighed, nodding.

"Anna, be careful. Please. I can't lose you," Kristoff pled, taking her hands in his.

She smiled at him. "I'll be fine," she promised. She kissed him quickly then hurried after the others that were going to save Elsa.

Kristoff watched painfully after her then bowed his head. "Promise it…" he pled in a whisper.

Frozen

Elsa, still weakened from whatever power had been channelled back into her, was held on her knees in front of the troll king. Hans stood at the creature's side, arms folded. Elsa didn't even look up. "Well done, young prince," the troll praised, obviously pleasantly surprised. "You did it. And the sentence you carried out on your brothers… I haven't seen anything, or _anyone_ , so despicable and heartless since _me_. Well, me and certain ones of your ancestors."

"I'm sure," Hans answered, glaring at Elsa. "Get on with this. Whatever it is."

"Very well. Take her. Lock her in the tower," the creature commanded.

"Yes, of course, the most clichéd thing you could possibly think of," Hans said, rolling is eyes. The troll gave him a dangerous look but didn't remark. The sprites obediently took Elsa, dragging her away and out of the room…

Frozen

Anna, Iscawin, the triplets, Duach, Franz, and Moren raced through the palace trying to find Elsa. "Of all the brothers you could have picked, you brought the ones most likely to spare him," Anna remarked.

"He is our brother," Moren answered.

"That thing is not even _human_!" Anna freaked. "He's the spawn of hell! I have no idea who or _what_ his parents were, but they weren't the same ones you had!" Moren was silent. There was no use getting into it with Anna. Her mind was made up. "I will make _sure_ Elsa executes him for this, do you hear me?! Hans dies!"

"We'll do the job _for_ you," Franz darkly—in a darker tone than any of them had heard from him in _years_ —stated, taking the others aback. His gaze was hollow, expressionless, dark… Anna actually got a chill and cringed, glancing away.

"Something's coming!" Duach suddenly said. The others stopped and listened. Sure enough doors were heard shutting.

"Elsa," Anna breathed.

"If it is, we strike the minute they're in sight. Hide, all of you," Moren commanded. Immediately they all dodged out of sight behind whatever they could. Sure enough, coming down the hallway were the sprites and trolls. Elsa was held in their grasps and now had recovered enough to struggle, though she knew magic would do no good. It would just be converted and channelled back into her as something else by the sprites.

The brothers and Anna stayed silent. The creatures were passing. All at once the triplets and Iscawin leapt out of hiding with battle cries, descending on the beings and throwing them into confusion as they frantically tried to fight back against the ambush. When it seemed they enemy was gaining ground, when the creatures seemed to be getting more confident, the rest sprang from hiding and fell on them. Anna ran to the two holding Elsa and attacked one viciously with a scream of rage. Elsa, the arm that one had been holding now free, spun on the other that held her and began fighting back against it with a grin. "I knew you would come!" she called to them.

"Always, my queen," Iscawin said, moving into closer proximity with her. She grinned at him then turned to Anna, who was falling back to her side.

"We need to get out of here, fast!" Anna said.

"What about Hans?!" Connyn demanded.

"Leave him! If he wants to be the troll's pet, let him," Calcas viciously said.

"I don't think so! Let's get him, drag him back to Arendelle, and execute him like we should have done from the start!" Anna argued.

"Anna!" Elsa said.

"He betrayed us! In the cruellest way possible! He betrayed _you!_ Can't you see he's not worth sparing?!" Anna protested, obviously still very upset at what she'd seen. It was the second time, Elsa realized, that her sister had seen that look in his eyes… She feared the younger would be traumatized by the memory forever.

"Leave him… When the troll king learns we've escaped, he will not suffer Hans being alive any longer," Duach stated darkly. "Let the dog die at the hand of the one he decided to align with over even his own flesh and blood."

"He is our brother," Calcas quietly murmured.

"He _was_ … Now he's dead to us," Franz stated.

Moren looked in the direction of the throne room. Could he suffer to abandon his youngest sibling again…? He didn't want to… But he knew in his heart it was all that could be done for him anymore. If he returned now, there would be no redemption for him. He bowed his head low.

 _Forgive me… I failed you, brother…_

"We leave," he whispered. Elsa watched him quietly but said nothing, only nodded. Immediately they turned and ran to meet up with the others.

Frozen

"Now, we had a deal, didn't we? So, tell me what it is you want," the wicked sprite, still in a man's form, said. Hans said nothing. "I could give you the queen, you know," it tempted, turning its back on Hans to get something to drink. "In _all_ her glory and vulnerability."

Hans shot him a sharp glare that bordered on murderous. "I may be despicable, but I'm not perverted. The only use I could have for her is ending her life," he said.

"Think about it," the troll answered. "Her writhing before you, at your mercy. You detest her so much that even if you _didn't_ touch her, you could have just as much fun psychologically tormenting her."

"All I want is the power you offered and my brothers' heads mounted on the wall," Hans stated.

"Fair enough… And as a bonus I will give you the queen as your plaything," the troll said.

Hans grimaced. " _Please_ don't do me any favors," he deadpanned, rolling his eyes.

"I think you'll grow to be tempted in time," the wicked sprite stated. "When you see her at her weakest point with so little protecting all of her from you." Hans looked at the ground, feeling bile rise in his throat. He seriously considered killing the wicked sprite, but then really what were the odds of his succeeding at this point?

"Your majesty!" a troll roared, barging in.

The wicked hobgoblin king turned sharply. "What is it that you're interrupting me for?" it questioned darkly.

"The queen has escaped! And the prisoners! _All_ of them!" the troll roared.

Hans was still, a smirk briefly flickering across his lips before he hid it again. The troll king's glass broke in his hand and for a moment he was silent. Finally, though, he said, "Leave us." That tone was enough that the other troll quailed and was swift to leave the wicked king along with the prince.

Frozen

They were riding away from the castle, all of them. Rapidly. Elsa soon slowed her ice mare and looked back at the palace quietly, a solemn look on her face. "Elsa, come on! Don't turn back. Hans isn't worth it," Anna pled.

"I know," Elsa quietly answered. "It still… It feels wrong…"

"He _is_ the definition of wrong," Anna said.

"Alright. I'm coming. Go on ahead. I'm waiting for the rest of our people to catch up," she said. Anna smiled and rode forward.

Elsa, smiling after her, frowned concernedly once more when Anna was out of sight, and turned again. Her people rode by. Iscawin took up the tail end. He reached her side, looking near panic. "What are we supposed to do?" he immediately demanded. "We can't leave Hans there! Not after this! He's out of his mind!"

"It had to be done," Elsa said. "Hurry, catch my people up to the others. I need to build up an ice wall around this place. Lock them all in for a good long time."

"My brother…" Iscawin began.

"Trust me," Elsa said.

Iscawin was silent. Soon, though, he sighed, shoulders sagging. "Very well… I'll trust you," he said. "Don't fall too far behind."

"I won't," she promised. He nodded and rode after the rest of the citizens. As soon as they were a good distance ahead, Elsa looked back once more, pursed her lips, then spurred her ice mare to action, charging back towards the palace.

Frozen

Hans turned to the troll king. "I can get them back," he said seriously. "I can get them back to you, I swear!"

"How could they have gotten the keys?" the troll mused out loud.

"Give me the order and I'll pursue them to the ends of the earth," Hans said.

"They know your true colors now," the troll muttered.

"That doesn't matter!" Hans insisted, approaching it. "I can do it!"

"You… You are of no more use to me," the troll king darkly said, turning menacingly to Hans. Hans tensed, eyes widening. Before he could move, the wicked sprite had conjured a dark sword and was swinging at his neck with intent to behead! Hans gasped.

Suddenly the troll shrieked in pain, the sword dropping. Hans blinked then looked down. An ice javelin was protruding from the creature's body! It looked up and fell to its knees on the ground. Hans's pounding heart slowed drastically and he grinned coldly. "About time," he said, pacing around the writhing enemy. "I almost feared I'd played the part so well even _you'd_ started to believe it."

"I almost _did_ ," a voice replied. _Her_ voice. Elsa's.

"Play to your strengths," Hans replied, shrugging.

"You have the masks down to a fine art, chameleon," she replied, approaching from the doorway in which she stood, a smug smile on her lips.

Frozen

"Wh-What?" the troll gasped out as Elsa came alongside Hans, both of them smiling coldly and victoriously down at him.

"What did he offer you?" she asked of Hans.

"Let's just say you're fortunate it wasn't a man with less character than I who was given this task," Hans replied, grimacing.

"You a man of character?" she scoffed.

"When it comes to _that_ matter? Yes," Hans deadpanned.

"I don't want to know," Elsa bluntly stated, frowning. She got the feeling her guess was probably right. She didn't need it confirmed.

"You-you…" the troll said, stunned.

"I told her about the dream, 'master'. As we were rock climbing down that cliff to reach the bridge. Told her of all you offered in exchange for me bringing her to you. The plan kind of fell into place from there. She came up with it, you know. I have to admit, I'm impressed. She's more brilliant than I knew."

"Of course he wasn't keen on the idea. He knew what would be risked. I'm sorry," she said to Hans, looking at him regretfully.

"It's… it's okay… It was the only shot we had, realistically, to take the thing on," Hans said. "Besides, how _else_ was I getting the keys? Slipped them to Iscawin when I got to his level after he collapsed to his knees."

"But it could have doomed you," Elsa gravely said, looking down.

"It didn't," Hans replied, eyeing the slowly recovering hobgoblin warily. "And even if it did, it wasn't like I had anything to lose."

"Your brothers…" Elsa began.

"I never had them in the first place," Hans cut off bluntly, giving her a look that warned her to back off. She sighed and did so.

Elsa looked at the troll coldly. "Stay down. And if you ever come near my kingdom again, you will regret it," she threatened. And to ensure that vortex didn't come again, she fully intended to take the matter up with Kristoff's trolls. And hope it worked.

"Let's go. Fast," Hans said. Before this thing could recover. They bolted, the wicked sprite's furious and vengeful roar echoing after them. They wouldn't get away so easily as this, it promised itself. Oh they wouldn't get away with this.

Frozen

Riding their mounts, Hans and Elsa galloped away from the castle as quickly as they possibly could. "This is so, so bad," Hans said. "Do you have _any_ idea of the power we just ticked off?"

"I'd rather not think about it," Elsa answered.

"This isn't something that can just be forgotten about, Elsa!" Hans shot.

"For now the priority is re-establishing the kingdom and getting your trial underway. After what you did and risked, the punishment will be greatly lessened. I don't want you anywhere near my kingdom ever again, more importantly my sister, and so banishment from Arendelle will be as good a starting place as any, but beyond that I don't know. At the sentencing we'll figure it out," Elsa seriously said.

"Look, just build your ice dome thing and let's get as far from here and as far from _that_ as possible," Hans replied, frowning coldly at her. He was almost tempted to kill her. Again. Seemed he was tempted to do that a _lot_. Or was he just telling himself that killing her was what he was tempted to try? Elsa nodded and stopped, turning back and beginning to erect a massive dome around the whole palace and in fact the whole area. It was obvious it was taking a toll on her. Not bad enough to be concerned over, but bad enough that by the end of this she'd probably be pretty tired. "Easy," Hans said, noticing her wavering slightly. "You're almost there." He turned. "I'll ride ahead with Sitron and see how far ahead the others…" he began. Suddenly she screamed in pain. He started and whipped around, eyes wide. "Elsa!" he exclaimed. He gasped, seeing what had happened. She was numbly looking down at her hands, covered in blood! A dark spike had driven itself into her body and was only now dispersing slowly.

Elsa looked slowly, numbly, up at him, shock in her eyes. He felt just as stunned and numb, looking at her stomach. He lifted his gaze to meet her eyes.

 _Those blue eyes. Eyes like crystal ice… so confused, pained, fearful, uncertain…_

"Hans?" she whispered.

He couldn't find his voice to speak. She shuddered and began slipping from her horse. He leapt ahead, catching her in his arms in alarm. Oh this wasn't good. This was so very, _very_ not good. "Elsa? Elsa! Elsa, look at me! Stay with me!" he said. The sprite, or one of its subordinates. It had to be! A threat and warning that this wasn't over. Why was _she_ paying the price for his betrayal of the beast? That wasn't what he wanted!

Her eyes flickered open, falling on him. "The cold I feel… It isn't the cold of winter or snow…" she whispered. He inwardly panicked.

 _The cold of death…_

"Dammit!" he exclaimed, pulling her onto his horse. Into his arms. He held her tightly and turned Sitron. "Go boy, go! We need to catch up to the others!" Sitron spun with a whinny and galloped full tilt after the princes, Anna, and Kristoff. The ice mare followed at Sitron's side, suddenly very quiet. Which wasn't a good sign.

 _If she died, did all her living creations die with her…?_

He didn't plan on finding that out any time soon. She was the only way he was getting out of Arendelle alive at this point. He needed her alive. He _wanted_ her alive. Wait, what? Ugh, no! He just needed her alive, end of story. Suddenly a pillar sprang up from the ground, a last stand of the enraged sprite. Sitron whinnied, rearing up. Hans cried out, tumbling to the ground with Elsa in his arms. Sitron, panicked and bolted, the ice mare at his side.

Frozen

"Sitron! Sitron, don't! Come back! Sitron!" Hans shouted. There was _no_ way he was making it to help in time on foot! Not through this snow. Not carrying the queen! She coughed painfully and he turned sharply to her, eyes wide. "Elsa. Elsa, stay awake," Hans pled. "Don't do this. Not now! Stay with me. Elsa, stay with me!"

Her eyes flickered open and she met his. She was shivering. "M-my sister… Sh-she needs-needs to know… She needs to know I'm sorry," she said, voice weak.

"She'll know, she'll know, just… just be calm. Be okay. I can't… You can't die! Not at this point! We're so close," Hans said. "If I go back to Arendelle now, it'll just be to face execution! I mean, you're the only way I'm getting out of this after what we did! No one but you knows, and maybe Iscawin suspects, but…" He was losing her. Her eyes were shutting. He shook his head. "Dammit, Elsa, don't go! Don't give up. I can't… I can't be 'never good enough' again. Not this time… Please, please, I want to be good enough. I _h_ _ave_ to be."

She looked at him again. "You will be good enough… This wasn't your fault. This has nothing to do with your _not_ being good enough… This time it's me who wasn't good enough… Not strong enough to… to fight this…"

"You have to hold on," Hans said again. His throat felt tight. He hated that sensation. "Please…"

"Hans…" she began.

"This time we _both_ need to be good enough," he cut off, picking her up in his arms and starting to slog through the ridiculously deep and annoying snow.

"I can't be," she whispered.

"Try," he replied softly. Of all the climates to be stuck in this situation in. At least the cold from the winter air, and perhaps from her own powers, was helping to slow the blood flow. Maybe it would be enough. It _had_ to be. It couldn't _not_ be! He looked down at her. Her eyes were shut again, but he felt her breathing so that was good… Albeit her breathing was slow. He looked ahead. "Please, please… If I'm never good enough again, let me be good enough to save her," he whispered. "Let me be good enough to save her!" he shouted to the sky. Him, he inwardly corrected on realizing what he'd said. Saving her saved him, and that was all that mattered right now. Please let his brothers be heading back. Surely Sitron and Anne Marie would have reached them by now. They'd know something went wrong. They'd be coming back! They had to be. He looked down at her. "Elsa, please… Please, try." He felt her hand tighten slightly on his coat, a subtle sign she could still hear, could still understand, was still fighting. That made him feel about a thousand times lighter. There was still hope after all. He pressed onward.

Frozen

He'd lost track of how long he'd been traipsing through knee deep snow. He couldn't feel her breathing. He actually stopped to check if she was still here. She was. Her chest rose and fell ever so subtly, shaking. It was painful for her to breathe. Honestly it was no bed of roses for him either. He felt like his lungs were frozen, and his hair and skin was definitely frosted, his lips probably tinging blue. He was freezing to death, he realized. This couldn't be happening now. He looked ahead. Wait. There, in the distance, outlines of horses galloping towards them! Don't let it be an illusion. Don't let it be a damn illusion! He couldn't afford illusions now. He gasped in relief. As they neared it became obvious it was real. He could have sobbed. Maybe he _would_ have had he not been half frozen in this blizzard from hell. As it dawned on him how this would look, though, he sobered. Maybe it would be better to freeze, because in the position they were in, and given all that had happened, it wasn't unlikely they would assume _he_ was the one who'd stabbed her. Sure enough…

"Put the queen down, you bastard! Put her down now!" Rhun's voice furiously shouted. He heard a pistol cock and froze. He almost considered defying the order and _letting_ his sibling shoot him, if only so they'd feel guilt so painfully they'd never recover from it. Once Elsa woke— _if_ she woke—and told them the truth, it would be the sweetest revenge. No other revenge he could fathom would be so satisfying, but unfortunately, he happened to be a fan of life at the moment. He put her down.

"Get away from my sister!" Anna screamed, leaping from her horse and shoving through the snow towards them. "Elsa, no!"

"Elsa!" Kristoff shouted, following his fiancé.

Hans didn't move as his brothers' horses rode up and surrounded them. He looked around at his siblings, expression grim and cold and bitter. His look perfectly reflected their gazes. It always did.

 _Be a mirror. Always a mirror. Wear a mask. Be a mirror. Be anything but what you are. What you are isn't worth existing. What you are will only get you killed all the sooner…_

He didn't flinch when Duach and Rhun seized him and forced him down, binding his arms so tightly behind him that the ropes bit into his skin and made him begin to bleed. His eyes were fixed on Elsa, who the others were frantically tending. His expression was non-existent.

 _He had been good enough…_

This time he had been good enough, and it was going to cost him his life… He couldn't hear the curses screamed at him. He didn't feel the blows Kristoff and even some of his own siblings were delivering to his body. He hardly registered one of them spitting at him in disgust. He just knew it was over. For once he'd been good enough… It would cost him his life… He almost scoffed at himself. "No good deed goes unpunished," he muttered in response to a question someone had asked. He believed it had been Moren, asking him what he had to say for himself or something like that. It was better to be the villain, he decided. When you were a villain, at least you died _knowing_ you deserved death. Died knowing that it was only a matter of time.

 _But he didn't want that anymore, to be the villain…_

No, that wasn't right. Yes he did! He did…


	20. I Grant You Mercy, Traitorous Innocent

I Grant You Mercy, Traitorous Innocent

(A/N: Last chapter of this story. Final A/N at the end of the chapter. Thank you for all your reviews and support. I've loved them all.)

Again he knelt before a throne, but this time it wasn't the thrones of his brothers. This time it was the throne of Arendelle, and seated on it was a grieving and betrayed princess. No, Elsa wasn't dead, but she was certainly out for the count, and the way Anna was acting, you'd think the queen _had_ died. She was acting regent now, in her sister's absence, and he knew from the moment they'd reached him and Elsa in the snow what his sentence would be. He didn't hang his head in shame. There was nothing to be ashamed about. His expression was stony, he hadn't spoken to anyone. There was no point in doing so. They wouldn't hear him.

"You are a despicable excuse for a man. In fact, you're a poor excuse for a human _being_. I'm starting to wonder if you are at all. Or was it hell that spawned you, Hans?" Anna said, voice wavering in anger and dismay. He said nothing. "You betrayed us. Again. Your own brothers. The one who was willing to help you… I don't even know what to say. What _can_ be said…? Hans Westergaard, this evening you will be executed by firing squad for all the crimes you have committed in the past, all the crimes you committed over this last week, and all the crimes you will commit in future if you're allowed to live. Your brothers have already volunteered to be the ones pulling the triggers. If I'd had my way, your death would have been far less dignified than firing squad. Burn in the pit from whence you came."

Hans's jaw twitched but he remained silent. Roughly he was dragged up by Duach and Rhun and brought away from there. "Your majesty, what if he's innocent? What if we're all reading too much…?" Iscawin began.

"Don't say anything more, please. There is no good in your brother," Anna said, folding her arms and looking angrily to the side, eyes closed. "There never has been, there never will be."

"You can't make that judgement," Iscawin said.

"Well I did, so there!" Anna retorted. "Just… just go… I have to check on my sister." She rose and quickly moved from the throne room.

Kristoff, eyeing Iscawin warily, said, "What do you mean? Why are you still protecting him? You saw the look in his eyes."

"You know, Rhun and Franz were right to doubt I'd pickpocketed those keys… I didn't. Hans slipped them to me," Iscawin stated.

Kristoff started, eyes widening. "He what? But-but why?" he asked.

"I don't know. Maybe because he wanted us to go free? Maybe it was only Elsa he wanted dead, but Anna was the one who ruined everything even more than Elsa did, so why he'd want her free… I don't know… But she's wrong. There _is_ still something of my brother left in the shell he possesses. I know there is… There _has_ to be…" He turned and left, following his brothers. Kristoff remained still, suddenly looking uneasy. What if Iscawin was right? He remembered what Hans had done when he brought the prince to the trolls. Taken his brother's place, nearly died for it. What if there _was_ still something of a man hidden beneath the monster that was the thirteenth prince? If Anna ever found out that was so… She'd never forgive herself… He took a deep breath. He'd try to talk to her, but… but he doubted that at this point anything less than Hans's life would work to quell her anger, hatred, and hurt.

Frozen

Evening neared. Preparations were being made. He would be shot in the courtyard. By his own brothers. Aye, there's the rub, he inwardly scoffed. Honestly he was less than surprised. Less than surprised they were being so cruel and spiteful as to practice their aim right outside of his cell window, too. He heard someone coming and turned sharply. The person came to his cell and he blinked in surprised. "Kristoff?" he asked, completely puzzled as to why the ice harvester, of all people, would be here.

"I… I tried to talk to Anna… She didn't hear me," Kristoff said.

"Why? Why did you speak to her for me?" Hans asked.

"Because… because Iscawin…" Kristoff began. He took a breath. "Because Iscawin said you slipped him the keys… What happened there, Hans? What happened that you aren't saying? If it could save your life…"

"There's no life to be saved," Hans answered, turning to the window again. "And even if I'd spoken, they wouldn't have heard me. They never have."

"They might have," Kristoff said.

"Them, maybe, if luck was on my side, but Anna wouldn't, and my final fate was in her hands… I guess maybe not telling… It spared them pain. My brothers. Spared them guilt," Hans murmured. It was probably the reason Iscawin hadn't spoken about what had happened either.

"What did you do?" Kristoff asked.

"It doesn't matter now," Hans stated. He turned to the ice harvester. "The queen, how is she? Will she make it?" Kristoff was quiet. "Kristoff, please… I have to know… I have to know I was good enough to save her."

Kristoff grimaced and shook his head, drawing a hand through his hair frustratedly. "Anna ordered you're to hear nothing of Elsa or her condition. She doesn't want you to have the satisfaction," he said.

"Great. So I die innocent of the treachery she thinks I committed and I die without even getting to know if Elsa made it," Hans said, beginning to turn to the window again.

"She'll make it," Kristoff said. Hans started, turning back. "Hey, I can risk Anna's wrath," Kristoff added with a small smirk and shrug. His smile fell. "Whatever this 'good enough' nonsense means, you _were_ good enough… You say you're innocent of the treachery, but the way you looked at them, at us, at Elsa…"

"Chameleon Prince," Hans said, shrugging with a smirk. "Masks are what I do… It helps when inside of you, part of you wants to be genuinely doing the deplorable acts."

Kristoff nodded. "I'm sorry… For all of this… Good luck, Hans," he said.

"Luck is a lie," Hans said. Kristoff shook his head hopelessly and left.

Frozen

The sun was setting as they led him out into the courtyard, bound tightly. They brought him against the wall and turned him to face the firing squad. His brothers. Anna sat on a throne farther back, Kristoff at her side. Her eyes were so cold, merciless… Could he blame her, really? He looked away from Kristoff and Anna and focused on his brothers. None of them were looking at him. Of course not. Why would they? "Your body will be food for the dogs," one of the soldiers placing him said in disgust. "There will be no burial or burning for you. You don't deserve that honor."

"What does it matter to _me_? I'll be gone," Hans replied. The soldiers harrumphed and left. He turned to his siblings. Now they were looking. The pain he saw in their eyes, the hurt and confusion… At least in some… In others there was no expression, no giveaway. In yet more you could almost think the idea of doing this tickled them pink. He shook his head but stood straight and tall. He would face this death bravely. Anna probably wished he would be a snivelling, crying, blubbering mess. Oh she'd love that, wouldn't she? He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. He would die with all the dignity he could muster at this point. Which was very little. He hated them, her, everything and everyone. He hated that they wouldn't hear him. He hated that Elsa probably wouldn't recover in time to stop this. He hated the wicked troll, he hated society, he hated himself. He wanted to claim his innocence. There would be no point. But still, even now, he wanted to do something other than stand here and die without at least some measure of satisfaction.

"…by firing squad," he heard someone—a crier?—finish. What, no 'may god have mercy on your soul'? He supposed he wasn't too shocked at that. Probably Anna's order. So it began. Not even a question of if he had any last words. He scowled at the call of 'ready'. Glared scathingly as his siblings loaded the rifles without so much as looking at him. At the call of 'aim' they obeyed, and not one of them looked about to back down. He wanted to laugh at them. "Fire!" the order sounded… But nothing came. Hans blinked, a little taken aback. Now there was hesitance. As they looked down the barrels of their rifles at their baby brother, there was hesitance. They would, of course, see it through, but for now, at least, there was time.

"My blood will forever be on your hands and on Anna's!" Hans dared shout to them. "I'm not an innocent man, but there is no guilt in me for what you've sentenced me to death for, do you hear?! I die with a clear conscience! I hope these actions haunt you all for the rest of your lives!"

"Fire!" came the order again. The brothers hesitated again, now visibly uneasy. Even Anna looked a little shaken. What was Hans trying to say? He… he was guilty. They'd seen the look in his eyes, heard his words… He was guilty… "Fire!" the order came again. There was no more hesitance…

Frozen

Elsa groaned softly, eyes flickering open. Where was she? In her room, she realized. In Arendelle. What had…? On remembering she caught her breath, sitting bolt upright.

"Your majesty, please! Move slowly. You're badly injured," Gerda's voice said, pushing her lightly down again.

Elsa looked quickly over at her servant. "How long have I been here?" she demanded.

"Not long. Only a day or so," Gerda answered. "The prince Mael fought fervently to save your life. He succeeded. Oh thank the gods!"

"Mael? Where is he now?" Elsa asked.

"He and his brothers are in the courtyard armed with rifles. The traitor and would-be murderer, Prince Hans, has been sentenced to die this evening by firing squad. They volunteered to be the squad. You will never have to worry about him again, your majesty. He will be gone. Isn't it wonderful?"

Elsa's expression reflected anything but gladness. She was horrified at this news. "D-die? _Tonight_? I acquitted him!" she exclaimed.

"For his original treachery, yes, but not for this one or his attempted murder of you. Don't you remember?" Gerda asked, puzzled.

"Attempted what?!" Elsa exclaimed. "Gerda, he wasn't the one who tried to kill me! He didn't betray us!"

"Are you feeling alright?" Gerda asked.

"No!" Elsa exclaimed, throwing off the covers and staggering up. This wasn't happening, this couldn't be happening. "It was all a trick. Anna's condemned an innocent man, and his own brothers will be the ones to kill him!" She didn't _think_ so! They would never be able to live with themselves after they heard the truth.

"Elsa! Elsa!" Gerda called after her, but the queen was already running.

 _Don't let it be too late, please don't let it be too late!_

Frozen

She raced down the halls, passing shocked servants and ignoring their calls. "Elsa…" Kai began as she was passing him.

"How much time do I have to stop this execution?!" Elsa demanded.

"Your majesty, if it goes as scheduled he's either already dead or will be by the time you reach them!" Kai shouted after her. She nearly shouted a curse before biting her tongue. She sped up. This couldn't happen, it _couldn't_. There was the balcony she was trying to reach, the doors wide open. She could hear the order of 'fire'.

"Hans!" she cried out. She knew odds were he couldn't hear, or any of them for that matter. When no gunshot sounded out she could have cheered. The princes were hesitating to kill him! She still had a chance. The second call of 'fire'. She nearly had a heart attack. Every increment of time passing was another she didn't have! She reached the balcony as the third call went out.

"Fire!" the voice called a third time.

Frozen

The princes pulled the triggers and the sound of the guns shattering the twilight rang out. Anna's courage failed and she screamed, turning away and shutting her eyes tight as Kristoff pulled her into is arms and shut his eyes as well, looking away with teeth gritted. There was the sound of a collective gasp. Heart pounding—what had she done?—Anna slowly looked up, expecting to see the prince's body lying still and soaked in blood. What she saw instead… She and Kristoff gasped, mouths dropping. The princes looked equally as stunned.

Hans opened his eyes. He hadn't been shot? He saw immediately why. The bullets were frozen in place. He could feel one of the frozen projectiles pressing against his forehead. Another he could feel digging into his skin, right above his heart. The other shots were equally as close, the farthest from him being hardly a centimeter. He blinked and looked up. There, on the balcony, stood a mortified looking Elsa, hands outstretched. He felt his shoulders sag in relief as he let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. A smirk dared part his lips.

Once her heart stopping pounding out of her chest, Elsa took a deep and shaky breath to try and calm down. She'd stopped it, she'd been on time, he was still alive. Everything was good. "I have not had time to discuss Hans's sentence with King Moren of the Southern Isles, but I believe I ordered the prince acquitted of death!" she declared, once a few moments of silence had passed, long enough for all spectators to process what had happened. "And if this execution is for his perceived treachery, if this execution is for his perceived attempt at murder, then I'm stopping it now. Prince Hans of the Southern Isles is innocent of all the crimes levelled against him."

Anna whipped around, eyes wide. They filled with hope and happiness and excitement. Her sister was okay! "Elsa!" she cried out, hardly hearing the rest. She ran towards the balcony. Elsa's lips turned up into a loving smirk, and she crafted an ice staircase up to the balcony. Anna raced up them and threw herself into her sister's arms, tears of happiness slipping from her eyes. "You're alive! You're okay!"

Elsa grinned, hugging her sister tightly and rocking her gently before pushing her back. "I am, Anna," she stated. "I am." She looked back down. Kristoff was now running up the staircase. Hans's brothers looked unsure of _what_ to do. Soon, though, Iscawin threw down his rifle and raced to his brother, immediately unbinding him and pulling him out of the way of the frozen bullets as if he feared that at any moment the ice would give out and they'd finish the job they started. He blinked at a taken aback Hans, who looked confused at the swift action, then dragged him into a hug.

Hans started, unsure what to think about this. He shoved his brother back. "Iscawin, what are you doing?!" he demanded, looking a cross between appalled and unsure, maybe even a little longing.

"Shut up and take it, little brother," Iscawin replied, pulling him back into a hug. Hans frantically tried to process this but couldn't manage to come up with any satisfactory answer that made sense as to why his sibling was hugging him. He gave up trying and sighed, sagging into his older brother's arms. He suddenly processed how weak and exhausted he felt and closed his eyes. He just wanted to pass out and forget any of this had happened… And then he was surrounded by the rest, all baying for and demanding answers, some checking him over and some looking a cross between enraged and totally mystified. Well, so much for passing out, Hans dryly realized.

Frozen

They were all gathered in the throne room now. Elsa had only just finished explaining what had happened at the troll king's lair, explaining it was her idea for Hans to play the traitor, explaining the logic behind it, explaining that rather than attempting to murder her, he'd done all in his power to try and save her. Needless to say, Anna was stunned mute. Even Kristoff was still struggling to process it all. As were Hans's brothers. It would take time, but eventually it would sink in. "I grant you mercy, traitorous innocent," she said to Hans softly, finishing. He bowed to her silently. She nodded and turned to Moren. "As things are, death is not a sentence even in the cards for Prince Hans. If not for his original treachery, he would be lauded. As it is, that isn't so, and the Prince still needs to face sentence for his original crime against Arendelle," Elsa said, taking a page from Moren's book.

"I agree," Moren stated. Hans tensed, frowning in annoyance.

"He will be banished from this land. Never to return to it, never to look at it. I want him nowhere near me or my sister or my people ever again," Elsa said.

"It will be done," Moren agreed. He looked at his brother. "I would have stripped you of even your title if not for your help in the matter of saving us all." Hans looked down, eyes dark. He didn't look at his sibling. "But a good dose of humility and manual labor should curb you a bit."

"Bite me," Hans replied.

"Consecutive military terms, most lenthy. No more a choice of yours, whether to sail or not, but a requirement. You _will_ take to the seas as Admiral whenever something threatens us," Moren said.

"That's supposed to be a punishment?" Hans scoffed. It got him away from _them_ , at least.

"You will be on the front lines," Moren deadpanned. Hans stiffened, eyes widening slightly. Soon, though, he sighed and nodded. Fine. He could handle the front lines. More or less. He hoped. Moren turned back to Elsa. "For now that is the base of it?"

"For now," Elsa replied. "I have no affection for your brother, no desire to keep him safe from whatever militaristic action you'd have him take, and he has no affection for me." Though… perhaps there _was_ something of a question now… It just wasn't enough. Hatred, mistrust, unease… It all served to keep it from being anything more than a question, a fleeting thought of 'what if there's more to him'. It was a question she wasn't inclined to seek the answer to. Or was afraid to. "I won't forgive you for what you did to me and to Anna," she said, looking at him.'

"I wouldn't ask you to. Some things can't and shouldn't be forgiven," Hans coldly answered, crossing his arms. "Time _doesn't_ always heal all wounds."

"Then the terms are understood," Elsa said. "Goodbye, prince of the Southern Isles."

"And good riddance," Anna added. Elsa gave her an irritated glare. Anna cringed and backed down.

Elsa turned to Moren again. "Political relations between our nations are yet to be discussed. In two months' time, once things have been settled on your end, return. It's the last time Hans will be allowed on Arendelle's soil, and we can finish up discussing political matters in the wake of his treachery then."

"As you wish," Moren said, bowing to her. "Thank you, Elsa. For everything. Your mercy, your understanding, your help… We owe you our lives and freedom."

"You're welcome. May your voyage home be safe," she said in response, bowing her head to him in turn. Moren nodded. He and his brothers turned to leave and prepare the ships for departure.

Frozen

Elsa leaned on the balcony the night before the princes were to leave, looking down into the courtyard. Anna and Kristoff were there, exchanging sweet nothings, holding hands. They would be married soon. When all matters of the issues around it were settled, that was. After all, royalty and a peasant? It would be scandal if things weren't smoothed out first. That kind of drama was something they didn't need so soon after all of this. It would be dealt with eventually. Review a few laws, work things out… It would all be okay in the end. She hoped. She wanted her sister to always be this happy. As she watched them, for a moment she felt empty. It wasn't a blessing she was fated to have. Not given her powers, given who she was… Any marriage would be a marriage of convenience and nothing more. It couldn't _be_ anything more. And the last thing she'd _want_ from one was for there to be touching. But maybe with Mael's help… But would she even see him enough, from here on in, for him to teach her how to control these powers completely? She sighed, leaving the balcony. She would go down by the sea to walk the beach.

Soon enough she was at her destination. She could see the princes making their last minute preparations to leave. She folded her arms around her, watching solemnly. Some of them spotted her, Iscawin and the triplets. "Queen Elsa!" she heard them call merrily to her, waving. She giggled a bit and waved back before turning and walking the other way. She heard a splash and turned quickly, eyes wide. Iscawin had jumped off of his ship and into the sea?! She blinked in disbelief as he swam towards her and the beach.

"Are you out of your mind?!" she called to him in alarm as he pulled himself onto the shore and went to her, grinning.

"For you? Yes," Iscawin answered.

She smirked, shaking her head hopelessly at him. "You're getting too bold, Prince."

"You're worth it," Iscawin answered, grinning. "Couldn't leave without one more goodbye." He took her hands in his and boldly pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Goodbye, Elsa. I hope our next visit here won't be our last. I'd very much like to see you more often."

She smiled softly. "Me too," she answered. "All of you," she added. She didn't want to lead him.

"Except Hans?" Iscawin asked, frowning worriedly.

Elsa sighed, drawing a hand through her bangs. "I don't… really want to go into that now."

"I'm sorry," Iscawin said.

"It's okay… Frankly _I_ don't even know what to think of him anymore," she said.

"You're not the only one," Iscawin said. "None of us have ever been able to figure him out… Not that we really tried all that hard. Not even for each other... It's hard to get Hans to open up about anything or show any real vulnerability. That's kind of our faults. Showing vulnerability was a sign of weakness, showing weakness was to have our brothers or father descend like vultures. And that went for each of us, even Moren… I'll miss you, Elsa."

"I'll miss you too," Elsa replied, smiling.

"Iscawin, hurry up!" Franz was heard calling. "You still have things to do on deck! Quit tail chasing the queen!"

Iscawin blushed. Elsa giggled. "Um, I've got to go. Bye," he said.

"Bye," she answered. He turned and hurried off. She watched after him, smirking.

Frozen

She felt the presence of someone nearby and turned, frowning curiously. Hans was there, leading Sitron. He watched after Iscawin then turned to her. "He cares for you," he noted. "Very much."

"I know... It's sweet. _He's_ sweet... But I'm not looking for anything like that now," she said. Maybe not ever. "I don't want to hurt him, but..."

"I know," Hans said. A courtship wasn't what she wanted right now, and even if she did, at the moment she didn't feel the same about Iscawin as he felt for her. Sensing she wanted to drop the subject, Hans turned to her. "He's reluctant to leave. I can't say I share the sentiment," he remarked.

"I know you don't," she replied. Hans was petting Sitron, looking lost in thought. She frowned. "You came here for a reason," she noted.

"Yes," he replied. She said nothing. He'd speak when he was ready. He always did. "I'm grateful… That you listened, that night on the cliff overlooking the palace. That… that you could bring yourself to look at me again... For what you said…" he muttered. He wouldn't thank her, but he was grateful for it. At least.

"Is this a thanks?" she asked.

"Don't bet on it," Hans replied. "It's just… It's just a statement."

She nodded. She wasn't surprised. "I'm grateful you showed that side to me… If you hadn't, I don't know if I would have found it in me to save you from the wicked sprite."

"I think you would have, but I can't say I'd blame you if you hadn't… Part of me almost wanted you not to…" Hans said.

"Hans…" she began.

"Don't. Please. I don't need to hear it. I get it. I've heard it all before," he said.

"Maybe you should start believing it," she answered.

"Maybe…" he agreed. He turned to her. "Goodbye, Elsa. And the next time we meet, it will be goodbye forever." He smirked and chuckled. "I can only imagine the celebration you and Anna will have."

"Will it compare to your own celebration?" she asked, smirking back.

"We'll see," Hans replied. He mounted Sitron and rode towards his own ship. Not once did he look back, and as the ships departed from the docks, heading back to the Isles, Elsa watched silently after them.

"You've drawn me to you… All of you…" she murmured after them. "Make it home safe." Turning her back on the sea, when the ships were out of sight, she returned to her palace and her friends and family.

* * *

(A/N: So that's the conclusion of my Frozen story. I have all sorts of ideas for sequels/continuations, if people are interested in seeing any. Just kind of worried they won't be as good, but who knows? It's a long road that I have planned for the Royals of Arendelle and the Southern Isles. Lots of challenges, lots of complications, lots of turn coating, lots of character development, etc. If people are interested in reading more, let me know. Already working on a sequel, and have segments for future stories planned out, and some written up.

Some information tidbits: The names I took for Hans's brothers were based in the semi-canons of Once Upon a Time-which I've never watched and only looked up to see if there were any kind-of-canon-but-not-really names for the brothers-and the tie-in book Frozen Heart. A good portion of the brothers' appearances, with some [read a lot of] creative liberties to fit more with genetics and the animation style, were taken from Once Upon a Time, as were the names Franz and Jürgen, the only two named brothers in the show. The names Caleb, Lars, Rudi, and Runo, and the fact Rudi and Runo are twins, come from the tie-in book, as well as a bit of their appearance and early attitude. Hence the reason I say those names were their given names but they took the names I've given them in the wake of their father's death.

Thank you for all the reviews and support. I honestly wasn't sure if this story would go over very well, and I'm glad it did. Again, if sequels are something readers are interested in, let me know.

And to guest reviewer Jenn, I only wish. Truth be told I kind of even took on Disney style to write this. Wanted to make it a believable sequel, more or less. Of course with liberties in length and language and some things that happened. T rating, after all. Unfortunately, I don't think Disney looks at fanfics for inspiration and probably wouldn't hire somebody who wrote one.)


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